The Perfect Family
by angel1002
Summary: Sequel to What Could Be- Focus on Angel and Cordelia raising their children Catherine and Chase. Story will be told from different points of veiws. Lots of drama and some angst thrown in for fun. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**I own none of the characters of Angel**

_**Catherine's POV**_

One thing about my parents that is different from my friend's parents is that they are always smiling, holding hands and kissing but it wasn't always like that. When daddy died, it took mommy a long time to smile again and when she did start smiling it wasn't the same smile that she had when daddy was alive. I knew that she missed him. I know that I missed him. I missed hearing him call me chipmunk, I missed how he used to tickle me until I was laughing so hard I almost peed my pants, I missed how he used to read me my bedtime stories and make different voices for the different people in the story, I missed how he kissed my head and I missed his cold hugs. When I hug mommy she is always warm but whenever I hug or touch daddy he is always so cold. I want to keep hugging him until he warms up but he said that will never happen because he is a vampire, whatever that is.

Mommy started smiling again when Jacob started coming around, but it wasn't the same smile that she always had. It wasn't as big. Jacob was always nice to me and Chase but he wasn't daddy. One night after I supposed to be in bed, I snuck out of my room and I saw mommy and Jacob on the couch kissing, like she used to kiss daddy. I was so mad at her because she stopped loving daddy and started loving Jacob instead. I decided right then and there that I wouldn't love Jacob ever because he wasn't my daddy. He was nice enough and he bought us presents and took us out for ice cream but I still missed daddy.

When Jacob kidnapped me and Chase I knew that I had to be brave like my dad and Chase was really scared cause he was just a kid and I was his big sister and it's my job to protect him. I knew that I was strong like daddy was so I decided that I would surprise him and kick him really hard then Chase and I could get away from him until mommy found us. When Jacob came back in the room I kicked him and I kicked him hard and it was so awesome. He actually went flying across the room. I was so mad that he saying lies about my dad that I kept kicking him until mommy and Connor came in. She was crying and scared but I told her that we were brave then the best thing ever happened. My daddy came in the room. I was surprised at first and then so happy. I had missed him so much. Chase was afraid of him but I knew that Jacob was a liar.

When we got home mommy and daddy sat us down and gave us a talk. They told us about good demons, bad demons and I finally learned what a vampire was. He told us that a really long time ago he used to be a very bad man who drank people's blood, ewww, that's just gross, but he told us that he was a good man who helped people. Chase finally wasn't scared anymore and we all were a happy family once again.

--

"Wake up birthday girl." My dad was always so stinking happy in the mornings.

"Go away." I mumbled."

"Come on chipmunk. It's your traditional birthday breakfast, your favorite chocolate chip pancakes." Dad said. Every year for as long as I can remember dad has brought me chocolate chip pancakes in bed on my birthday. I just never had the heart to tell him that pancakes weren't my favorite anymore.

"Morning daddy." I said as I sat up yawning. He leaned down and kissed me.

"Happy birthday sweetheart."

"Thanks." He sat down on the bed next to me.

"I can't believe that my little girl is eleven." He said the same thing every year, he just changes the age.

"Me too." I ate in silence for a few minutes waiting for him to give me my gift from him, same as he does every year.

"Are your pancakes good?" I nodded cause my mouth was full. "Good. I'm glad." He handed me a small box. Probably jewelry like every year. He was so predictable but I loved that about him. "I hope you like it chipmunk." I quickly opened the box and found a small pair of stud earrings. "You can get your ears double pierced."

"Really? Mom said yes?"

"She did. She's going to take you later today to get them done."

"Thank you, thank you thank you." I said happily as I wrapped my arms around my dad's neck. "I love you so much."

"I love you too chipmunk. Happy Birthday."

--

Later that afternoon mom and I went to the mall to get my ears pierced. I was so excited.

"Mom they are so pretty. Thanks for picking them out."

"How did you know that I picked them out?"

"Daddy has no taste in jewelry." Mom started laughing and walked into a lingerie store. "Moooom, I hate this store."

"Sweetheart, we are here for you." I could feel my face turning red.

"No way. Not happening."

"Sweetheart, you are getting breasts and you need to start wearing a bra."

"Mom." I whined.

"You're growing up and becoming a woman."

"Will mine be big like yours?'

"It's a possibility."

"Great." I groaned and mom laughed.

Two hours later we walked out of the store with a few bags of new bra's and underwear for both me and mom. I'll never understand why she has to have so many. When we got home I changed into my outfit and new bra (which I hated) for my birthday party at the hotel where my parents work.

"Catherine, let's go." Chase yelled

"I'm coming." I came downstairs and Chase was waiting impatiently in the living room.

"It's about time." Chase muttered

"Shut up you little twerp."

"You're a twerp."

"Am not."

"Am too"

"Knock it off you two." Dad said as he came into the room.

"She called me a twerp." Chase whined.

"Catherine what do you say to your brother?"

"Sorry." I mumbled.

"Let's go." Mom said as she came into the living room holding my cake.

We drove over to the hotel, mom and dad talking and Chase and I sulking. He always got me in trouble. When we walked in all of my aunts, uncles and cousins wished me happy birthday. I love my family but I really wanted a party with my friends from school but because of all the weird stuff that tends to happen to my family, I was only allowed to have my best friend come and stay the night.

The lights were off in the hotel and I had just finished blowing out the eleven candles on my cake when it happened. Something came up behind me and grabbed me. I screamed and the lights came back on and I was face to face with a vampire. Because he grabbed me by surprise and had my arms pinned to my side there was nothing that I could do.

"Happy Birthday." He growled before he sunk his teeth into my neck.

"Catherine." Mom screamed. I started to get really tired when I felt my dad grabbing me and handing me off to my brother, Connor, who ran me over to my mom.

My mom shoved something against my neck and held it real tight. All of my cousins were behind the desk and even though I was really tired and wanted to sleep I kept my eyes open and watched Daddy, Connor, Uncle Gunn and Uncle Wes stake all of the vampires. There had to be at least ten of them in the lobby. They were all dust within minutes.

"Are you okay chipmunk?" Daddy asked me and I started crying. He picked me up and held me while I sobbed into his chest. Mommy rubbed my back until I calmed down. I don't know why I was crying. It just felt like the thing to do. When mommy tired to take the towel off of my neck I flinched and buried my face in my dad's neck.

"Baby, let me see." She begged

"No it's hurts." I whined.

"I'll be gentle. I promise. I just need to put some medicine on it. "

"No, leave me alone."

"Catherine, honey look at me." I did as I was asked. "Whenever I get hurt and you know that I get a lot, I always let mommy take care of me and put medicine on and I always feel better and besides if you don't let mommy put medicine on your bite, do you know what will happen?"

"My head will fall off?" I guessed and daddy laughed.

"Nothing that bad chipmunk. What will happen is it will get infected then you will have to go to the doctor and get a shot. You don't want to get a shot do you?"

"I hate shots." I hiccupped.

"I know you do, so why don't you let mommy take care of your bite okay?"

"It will hurt." I started to cry again.

"It probably will but only for a minute. Can you be brave for daddy huh? I know that you are brave and I'll hold your hand."

"Okay." Daddy nodded to mommy and took my hand.

"When it hurts squeeze my hand as hard as you can and remember that you can't hurt me." Mommy came over, took the towel off of my neck, and began cleaning the blood off. It hurt a little and I squeezed daddy's hand. After it was all clean she put the medicine on.

"Owwww." I cried because it stung and burned really bad.

"Squeeze my hand baby." I did but it still hurts.

"It hurts." I laid my head on his chest and with the hand that I wasn't squeezing he rubbed my back.

"I know sweetheart, I know."

"There, all done." Mommy said as she taped the bandage on my neck. "You were very brave." She kissed my head.

"Mommy I want some cake and ice cream." Chase said.

"Are you okay baby?" Mom asked and I nodded. "Do you want some ice cream and cake? It's chocolate, your favorite."

"No. I'm not hungry."

"Are you sure?" Daddy asked

"Yeah."

"Is it okay if we cut your cake?" I nodded. "I love you baby girl."

"I love you too mommy."

"You do know that Brianna won't be able to come over don't you?" Daddy asked

"Why?"

"Chipmunk, you were bitten by a vampire and you lost a lot of blood. You need to rest tonight. She can come over next weekend."

"This isn't fair. It's my birthday and I want Brianna to come over."

"Chipmunk, you're right it's not fair but you need to rest and get better. You'll have more fun next weekend when you feel better."

"No, I don't want to wait until next weekend." I yelled.

"Catherine Suzanne, you do not yell at me." I couldn't think of a response.

"Arrrgh." I groaned and pulled myself out of his lap and attempted to stomp away from him but I didn't get very far because I got dizzy and I would have fallen but of course daddy was right behind me catching me, as he always did.

"This is what I was trying to say Catherine. So you understand why Brianna can't come over now?"

"Yes, but I still hate it." I mumbled.

"Now, how about some birthday cake?"

"Maybe a little piece."

"That's my girl." Mom must have known that I would have changed my mind because she walked over with my piece of cake and ice cream. After I finished my cake and ice cream I called Brianna and told her I got sick and she couldn't come over. We planned for her to come over next weekend. An hour later, we packed up my presents, daddy carried me to the car and I fell asleep on the way home only waking briefly when I mommy and daddy kissed me and told me that they loved me.

"Love you too." I mumbled and quickly fell back asleep.

--

_**Angel's POV**_

I stood in the doorway of Catherine's room, staring at her, not wanting to let that precious creature out of my sight. I should have protected her, I'm her father and it's my job to protect her from everything, especially vampires. I should have smelled them; I should have sensed their presence. When the lights came back on and I saw that monster drinking from my little girl, I was so scared and angry. I thought that I might lose her and I couldn't lose her, not my sweet baby. When I got her away from that vampire, I seriously considered torturing him for a long while, but since the kids were there I decided to just simply stake him and be done with it. I wiped a tear that had fallen when I felt Cordy's arms around my waist and her head on my shoulder.

"Baby, stop with the guilt trip." She whispered.

"I can't help it. I shouldn't of him bite her."

"It wasn't your fault. We were celebrating our daughter's birthday giving all of our attention to her, as it should be. She got bit, it shouldn't have happened but it did and she is going to be okay and right now, that's all that matters. Now come on, let's go to bed." She was right, she was always right but that didn't mean that I wouldn't continue to feel guilty and brood about it because hell, it's what I do best. I walked over to kiss her again, making sure that she was really there and once I was satisfied that she was I headed off to my room.

Cordy was in the bathroom when I got to the room so I stripped down to my boxers and climbed into bed. She joined me a few minutes later and laid her head on my chest. I immediately snaked my arm around her.

"I can't believe that it's been eleven years." Cordy whispered.

"Time goes so fast and that's saying a lot since I've been around almost three hundred years."

"Geez you're getting old."

"Very funny."

"I thought so." She said smugly and I leaned down and kissed that smug look right off of her face.

"Please tell me I'm wrong, but when I was hugging Catherine, I think I felt a bra."

"You did. She is eleven after all. She is becoming a woman. Probably within the next year she will be starting her period."

"Oh, God, please stop. Don't talk like that."

"Face it. Our girl is growing up." I grimaced. I wish that she would stay young and innocent forever.

"You are cruel woman, very cruel."

"But you love me."

"Damn straight baby. I do love you." She rolled herself on top of me and kissed me hard and it only took me a matter of seconds to get turned on, as it always does. God, I love having a permanent soul. If we made love every day for twenty four hours a day it wouldn't be enough. I quickly flipped her on her back and took control of the situation. Every time I was inside of her, I was perfectly happy, something I no longer had to fear. As I felt her walls contract against me I knew how lucky I was to have this amazing woman in my life.

I don't know how long we had been sleeping before I heard the screams coming from Catherine's room. Luckily Cordy and I had gotten into the habit of getting dressed after we make love, which was most every night, so I was able to quickly run to her room, but honestly if my kids are in danger, I would run naked to save them. I burst into her room, ready to kill something, but she was alone, thrashing around in her bed, apparently having a nightmare. I was at her bedside in a second, gently shaking her awake.

"Catherine, sweetheart. Wake up." Her eyes fluttered opened.

"Daddy?" She mumbled sleepily.

"Yeah chipmunk, I'm here and so is mommy." She burst into tears as she wrapped her arms around me.

"You died again."

"It was just a dream."

"The vampires that got me today they staked you and you turned to dust like they did." She sobbed into my chest.

"Shhhh, its okay honey. It was just a bad dream. I'm right here. I'm not dead." She continued to sob. "Catherine, baby look at me." She raised her tear stained face to mine. "See, I'm right here." She finally calmed down. Cordy and I stayed with her until she fell back asleep, or so we thought.

"Can I sleep with you?" Came her small voice from her bed when we got to the door. I looked at Cordy and she nodded so I picked Catherine up and carried her to our room. She snuggled in between the two of us.

"Goodnight." She mumbled

"Goodnight." Cordy and I responded and my two girls drifted off to sleep.

I on the other hand wasn't able to fall back asleep due to the rhythmic snoring coming from my wife and daughter. It had been so long since Catherine had slept with us and I had forgotten that she was a crazy sleeper, just like her mother. After being kicked, and slapped numerous times, I finally gave up and ended up on the couch where I could enjoy peace and quiet, but I wouldn't have things any other way.

**Well here it is, the first chapter. What did you think? Please review and let me know. Thanks for reading. **


	2. Chapter 2

**I own none of the characters of Angel**

_**Chase's POV**_

I'm going to die. I'm really going to die. I'm too young to die. I've been in scary, life threatening situations before, but nothing like this. Oh, God, I'm really going to die and my mother is allowing it to happen.

"Catherine quit playing with the radio and keep both hands on the wheel." Mom said. My sister is learning how to drive and my dad tried to teach her, but she drove him crazy and now mom is stuck with her, subjecting me to an early death.

"I hate that song." She complained.

"I don't care." Mom snapped the radio off.

"Hey." She yelled.

"You need to be concentrating on the road, not the radio."

"I liked that song. Why should I suffer because she's not smart enough to do two things at once?" I stated and Catherine whipped her head around and glared at me.

"Shut up Chase."

"CATHERINE!" Mom screeched and reached over and grabbed the steering wheel. "Both eyes on the road at all times."

"I'm going to die." I yelled.

"Shut up Chase." Mom and Catherine yelled at me. I just rolled my eyes and put my headphones in my ears and sat back until we arrived safely (barely) at home.

"Remind me, never to get in a car with you again." I told my sister as I got out of the car.

"Fine then. When I have my license I won't take you anywhere."

"Good maybe I'll live longer." Mom had moved into the driver seat. "Where are you going mom?"

"I'm going to get your dad and we are going Christmas shopping. I'll bring home dinner. What sounds good?"

"Chinese." I answered.

"Pizza." Catherine answered and I made a face. We always have pizza.

"We haven't had Chinese in awhile. That's what I'll get." I shot a triumphant glance at my sister. "I expect your homework done when we get home and no phone or TV until it's done."

"Yes mam." We answered.

"Love you guys." She said with a wave as she pulled out of the driveway.

As soon as we let ourselves into the house, Catherine went straight for the TV remote and phone.

"Catherine, mom said that you have to do your homework first." I stated.

"Shut up and mind your own business moron."

"You're gonna get in trouble."

"What mom doesn't know won't hurt her." She plopped on the couch and started dialing the phone. I sighed and went into my room to do my homework.

I really do like school. Catherine says that I'm a nerd but I don't care. We go to the same private school with our cousins. She ignores me during the day but I have my friends and cousins to hang out with. The only thing that I hate about our school is the uniforms that we have to wear. The girls wear skirts and blazers and the boys have to wear blazers and ties. I hate ties. I feel like I'm choking. Catherine really hates the uniforms. That's all she does is complain about them. In fact, she complains about everything. Dad says that's just the way teenage girls are supposed to act but it drives me crazy.

An hour and a half later I was done with my homework and I took it out to the kitchen for mom and dad to check as they always did. Catherine was nowhere to be seen and I heard her music blaring from her room so I assumed that she was there doing her homework. Thankful she wasn't around to bug me I logged on to our computer in the living room. We both have our own computers in our rooms but they don't have Internet access. They only way we can use the Internet is in the living room where mom and dad can observe the sites that we go on. Mom's really nervous about creepy perverts finding us. Catherine is always on weird sites and she has even gotten a few viruses on the computer that I had to fix. I really only use the instant message program to talk to my friends. Right now Ali was my only friend signed on.

_Chase- Hey_

_AliG- Hi Chase. What's up? _

_Chase-SOS- U_

_AliG-Not much. Dad is with ur mom & dad shopping. He left me with Sylvia._

Since her mom died a year ago and her dad went to work as a lawyer he hired a nanny to watch Ali when he wasn't there. Of all of my cousins she is my favorite. We get along the best and she is the most like me.

_Chase- Mom let C drive us home from school 2day. I thought I was gonna die._

_AliG- That bad huh? _

_Chase-She is horrible. She almost hit a couple of cars. _

_AliG-LOL_

_Chase-Not funny. I almost DIED._

_AliG- It kinda is._

We continued to chat about meaningless things for the next thirty minutes or so until Catherine finished her homework.

"Move. I want on the computer." She demanded. She could be so bossy.

"No. I'm talking to Ali."

"I want to check my e-mail so move."

"You can wait until I'm done." She looked over my shoulder and read our conversation. "Mind your own business Cath."

"You aren't talking about anything important so move it."

"No." Next thing I knew I was on the floor. She pushed me out of the chair and was deleting my conversation. I was furious. I kicked the chair and caused her to fall.

"Why you little…" She lunged at me and I rolled out of the way. She fell back onto the floor and I couldn't help myself I burst out laughing even though I knew that it would just make her madder. She picked herself up off of the floor and then picked me up and threw me against the couch and then before I could respond she was on top of me throwing punches, most of which I managed to avoid thanks to the training I have gotten from Dad and Connor but a few connected and they really hurt. When I saw an opening I pushed her off of me and into the computer desk, causing it and the computer to crash to the floor. I knew right then that we were in big trouble but she was showing no signs of stopping so I wasn't going to stop either.

She jumped up looked at the damaged desk and computer on the floor and her eyes widened because she knew that we were going to get in trouble and that seemed to make her angrier. She lunged at me with such force that we flipped the couch over and broke an end table. I have no idea how long we were rolling around on the floor hitting each other when we suddenly heard a very angry dad yelling.

"Catherine Suzanne, Chase Liam, what in the hell is going on?" He roared. We froze. Dad could be very scary when he was angry and right now he is really mad.

"What happened? Was there some kind of attack?" Mom asked when she walked in and saw her destroyed living room.

"Care to answer your mother?" He growled

"He started it."

"She started it." We both yelled at the same time.

"You two did this?" She yelled and we nodded." "Will you look at this? You broke my table and the computer and the desk. My lamp. Look at my lap. It's shattered."

"Sorry." We mumbled as we stood up.

"What the hell happened?" She shouted

"He pushed me off of the chair." Catherine yelled and my mouth dropped open in surprise.

"CHASE." Mom yelled.

"I only pushed her cause she pushed me first. I was IMing Ali when Catherine told me to get off. I was there first so I wouldn't move and she pushed me."

"Is that true?" Dad asked her.

"I asked nicely." She lied.

"She did not." I yelled

"Chase what have we told you about hitting your sister?" Mom asked.

"Are you kidding me?" I screamed. "I was just defending myself. She threw the first punch."

"You know better then to hit your sister outside of the training room."

"Unbelievable. Why do you always take her side?"

"Chase we don't." Dad said.

"She's not perfect. She usually starts everything and you only see when I retaliate. When we got home, I went straight into my room and did my homework. Catherine what did you do?"

"Exactly what you did."

"LIAR." I was so mad that I lunged for her but due to my dad's super vampire strength and speed he stopped me before I could get to her. She stood there with a smug look on her face.

"Chase, go to your room." Dad snapped.

"But…I…"

"GO." He roared.

"This is so not fair. I hate you." I yelled as I stomped up the stairs to my room.

"Chase don't slam that…" I cut off dad's voice by slamming the door as hard as I could.

I spent the next hour lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling sulking. It was probably a good thing that I was confined to my room because I was so mad at her I probably really would have hurt her. There was a knock on my door but I ignored it. I knew it didn't matter if I ignored because my parents would come in anyway and a minute later the door opened they walked in.

"Chase, sweetie we need to talk." Mom said as she sat down on my bed. I continued to ignore her. "I know you're mad." I chose not to respond. "We know that Catherine isn't innocent in what happened."

"She started it." I said as I slowly sat up.

"We believe that." Dad said softly.

"So why did I get sent to my room?"

"Because you broke the rules about fighting with your sister. You know that you can only fight when you are in training. You two are very strong and you can really hurt each other." Mom said

"So am I grounded?"

"Oh you are so grounded buster." Mom said.

"This so isn't fair. I wouldn't have fought with her if she wouldn't have started it."

"One week grounding, nowhere but here and school. The computer is irrelevant right now since it's broken. You and your sister will clean up the disaster downstairs and both of you will get no allowance until all of the items were destroyed are replaced."

"That's going to take forever."

"Then maybe next time you will think before you fight with your sister." I opened my mouth to respond but dad held his hand up so I couldn't talk. "If there is a next time that Catherine starts a fight, be the man and walk away. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir."

"Chase we love you."

"I love you too."

"Now, go eat some cold Chinese food and get cleaning." Dad said.

"Yes sir."

**_Cordelia's POV_**

Later that night the after the kids went to bed Angel and I were curled up on the couch attempting to watch TV but our mind's weren't on the TV, we were thinking of our children.

"Most siblings physically fight, it's the natural order of things, but our kids, when they physically fight they could literally kill each other." I said softly. I worry about that stiff but I'm their mom, it's my job.

"Do you think we were two rough on them?" I shook my head.

"No I don't. Chase needs to learn to let Catherine's actions slide off of his back and Catherine, she is just being a teenage girl whose daddy thinks she could no wrong."

"I do not." I snorted.

"Bullshit Angel. In your eyes Angel she is your princess that can do no wrong. It's a special skill that only daddy's girls possess."

"Did you possess that skill, with your dad?" I batted her eyelashes and stuck out my lower lip. He groaned. I know that he is very familiar with that look. Catherine and I gave it to him often.

"Of course I did. My dad could never resist it."

"I know that feeling. You and Catherine both pull that poutty batty eye shit and I am powerless."

"I know." I winked at him. I know exactly how powerless I can make him.

"What happened to my sweet, well behaved daughter?"

"She's a teenager Angel. It happens to the best of us. If I recall Liam wasn't the most well behaved teenager in the seventeen hundreds." He leaned forward and kissed me. I loved his kisses.

"Don't forget dear, that when we met you were a teenager and you weren't the most well behaved teenage either."

"I was a spoiled rotten bitch. If on the rare occasion my pouty lip didn't work I threw a royal fit until I got what I wanted." Memories of my teenage years came rushing back to me and I did not like what I remembered. "My God Angel, I was such a horrible person. I only thought of myself, and I treated people so bad. I was mean and cruel to people that wanted nothing more than to be my friend and why did they want to be friends with such a shallow self absorbed bitch?"

"Cor, baby that is who you were a long time ago and that's why when we first met, I couldn't stand you for all of the reasons that you listed. But you have changed Cordy. You aren't that spoiled bitch anymore and so far, Catherine isn't nearly as bad as you were,"

"Damn right. We, well I don't let her get away with the kind of shit that I got away with."

"I am such a pushover where Catherine is concerned aren't I?" I kissed his cheek,

"Yes you are and that's why you have me to bring you both back to reality."

"You are just as bad where Chase is concerned." He had a point. I did have a soft spot when it came to my sweet boy and it's probably because he is so much like his father.

"I'm weak because he is so much like you and I can't resist you and therefore I have trouble resisting Chase's smile."

"And the same with Catherine. Every time I look at her I see you and your smile. We are so screwed." He said with a lopsided grin.

"We have to stay strong and not let ourselves get bullied by our children's smile and batting eyes."

"Or my wife's." I batted my eyelashes and he leaned forward and kissed me. Every time we kiss, it just gets better. I reluctantly pulled away from him when I needed to breathe. "Speaking of being screwed…" He mumbled in my ears, causing goosebumps to appear. God, what that vampire can do to me. He effortlessly picked me up and carried me to our room. Still holding me in his arms he stripped me out of my clothes, how he did that, I'll never know. He deposited me on the bed and quickly joined me as we ended our day the way that we usually do, as one.

**Thanks for reading. Next chapter Catherine's friends flirt shamelessly with her dad. **


	3. Chapter 3

**I own none of the characters of Angel**

_**Catherine's POV**_

"I still can't believe Ryan asked me out." I blubbered to Sydney and Lexie as I drove us home. These girls were my best friends and they were going to help me pick out the perfect outfit for my date tomorrow. I have had a major crush on him since school started this year and he FINALLY asked me out.

"He is so hot." Lexie said.

"My dad is totally going to flip when I tell him about my date." That may have been understatement. I wasn't allowed to date until I was sixteen, which, I have been for a month now, and this was the first date that I have been asked on. Dad has been freaking out since my sixteenth birthday.

"Will he let you go?" Sydney asked as I pulled into my driveway.

"Uhh yeah. He has to. They gave me permission when I turned sixteen." We got out of the car and headed into the house. "Come on, let's go pick out my outfit." I led my friends into my house. "Mom. Dad. I'm home." I called and my mom came into the living room.

"Hey sweetheart. How was school?" She kissed my cheek.

"Ryan asked me out tomorrow night." I said happily and my mom smiled. She knew how much I liked him.

"I am so excited. What are you going to wear?"

"Don't know. That's why I brought reinforcements." I motioned to Lexie and Sydney.

"Are you girls going to stay for dinner?"

"If that's okay." Sydney said.

"Of course. Chase is gone for the night and I don't know when your dad will be home so how about I order a pizza? Do you girls have a preference?"

"Everything." We all answered together and mom laughed.

"Okay, I'll let you know when it gets here. Let me know if you need anything."

"Come guys. Let's dress me for success."

A few hours later there was a very loud knocking on my bedroom door. I turned my radio down and yelled entrance.

"Hey chipmunk." Dad said as he poked his head in my room. I sent him a glare and my friends stopped what they were doing and stared at my dad.

"Hi Mr. Angel." Sydney and Lexie said

"Hi ladies." He smiled at them and I swear they swooned. This could be bad.

"What's up dad?"

"Pizza's here. Do you girls want to eat it up here or downstairs?"

"Downstairs." My two friends replied. He nodded and he shut the door.

"Oh my God." Lexie whispered.

"Your dad is soooo hot." Sydney said and Lexie agreed. I just shuddered.

"No way."

"Yes way. Your dad is totally hot." Sydney stated again.

"I am not talking about this. Let's go." I said walking downstairs.

Dinner was agonizingly painful. My two friends practically drooled over my dad and they flirted non-stop. My dad was oblivious to it of course, but my mom wasn't. She sat through dinner with a stupid smirk on her face.

"So Mr. Angel, you are a PI?" Sydney asked and I rolled my eyes.

"That's correct Sydney,"

"That is so cool. What do you investigate?" Lexie asked

"Oh normal stuff." I snorted into my pop.

"Is it dangerous?" Lexie asked in awe.

"You have no idea." I mumbled and both of my parents sent me a glare.

"Sometimes it can be."

"You are so brave Mr. Angel." Sydney said and I wanted to puke.

"Come on girls, we still haven't found the perfect outfit." I said attempting to end this sickening conversation.

"Perfect outfit for what?" Dad asked and that surprised me because I figured that mom would have already told him.

"My date for tomorrow." His eyes widened.

"Ladies, will you excuse us for a minute?" Dad said as he grabbed my arm and led me out of the kitchen, not waiting for an answer.

"Mom help me." I begged, as I was drug to the living room. Mom thankfully followed.

"Date? You are going on a date? When did this happen?" He asked me.

"Ryan asked me today for tomorrow night."

"I don't even know this boy."

"You can meet him tomorrow when he picks me up." I said crossing my arms across my chest.

"You are not going. You are too young."

"Mom." I whined.

"Go upstairs and let me talk to your dad sweetie." I sent my dad a smug look, grabbed my friends and headed back up to my room.

"Catherine, girl your dad is so freaking sexy." Sydney said again

"Please can we not talk about how sexy my dad is?"

"No way. Your mom is so beautiful it's no wonder she hooked up with your sexy God of a father." Lexie said.

"Guys…" I begged but they weren't listening

"How long have they been married Cath?"

"About fourteen years."

"Your parent's were bad Catherine, sex before marriage. Shame on them." Sydney said with a smirk.

"No one thought that my dad could have kids so I was a surprise."

"Don't you have an older brother?" I nodded. I told them about Connor. I just never mentioned how much older he was.

"Yeah Connor was a surprise. I guess that all of us were surprises."

"Wow fourteen years. Do you think that they still have sex?" Lexie asked

"I don't know." I lied. I know my parents still had sex and lots of it. They try to be quiet but unfortunately for me, I inherited my father's super sized hearing. I stocked up on some earplugs years ago. "I choose not to think about it. It's my parents for God's sake. Do you think about your parents doing it?" I countered and both of my friends shuddered. "See what I mean?"

"I'm not thinking about my parents right now." Lexie said with a grin. "I'm thinking about your dad. If I was your mom, I'd be tapping that daily."

"Me too." Sydney agreed.

"You two are disgusting. Can we please stop talking about my parents and focus on my outfit for tomorrow night please?"

--

I stood before the mirror checking out my outfit. I had on a jean skirt that came down to my calves and a purple shirt. I looked hot and I knew Ryan would be drooling. I heard the doorbell ring and I flew down the stairs.

"How do I look mommy?" I asked as I thrilled around in front of her.

"Beautiful."

"Your skirt is too short." Dad said.

"No it's not." Mom defended me. I then noticed that he was holding one of his swords.

"Daddy put the sword away." I begged.

"I need to clean it."

"Mom."

"Go answer the door sweetheart." She said

"Daddy please." I begged again but he just shook his head. "Don't embarrass me."

"Count on it." He mumbled. I sighed and went to open the door.

"Hey." He greeted

"Hey." His eyes roamed over my body and it honestly made me feel uncomfortable but I blew it off. My parents joined us in the hall.

"Catherine aren't you going to introduce us?" Mom asked

"Mom dad this is Ryan, Ryan my parents." His eyes widened in shock when he saw my dad's sword. "Don't mind him. My dad collects swords."

"It's cool babe." Ryan said and I saw my dad flinch and mom grip his arm.

"So what are your plans for this evening?" Mom asked

"Dinner and the new vampire flick." Dad laughed and then became very serious, somewhat scary.

"Have her home by eleven, not a minute later."

"Sure thing dude." My dad flinched again. After a few more pleasantries we finally were able to escape.

Dinner was fine. He continued to ogle me throughout the meal but I ignored it. I quickly realized that Ryan wasn't all he was cracked up to be. After dinner instead of the movie he wanted to go for a drive. I thought that maybe I would see another side of him.

"I had fun tonight." He said as he slid his arm around me.

"Me too." I lied. Next thing I knew his lips were pressing against mine and he was pushing me back onto the seat.

"Ryan, no." I mumbled into his mouth.

"You know you want this." He roughly forced his tongue into my mouth as I struggled against him.

"Ryan…stop." He placed his hand under my shirt and grabbed my breast. That was it. I had enough. I grabbed his arm and twisted it. I quickly released it when I heard it snap. I really didn't mean to break it. I just wanted him to stop.

"Owwww." He yelped in pain. "What the hell Catherine?" He shouted.

"I…I'm sorry. I…didn't mean too." I stuttered.

"I think it's broke." He whined.

"I told you to stop." He glared at me.

"I can't drive." He said.

"I'll drive. Move." He did without question and I drove him back to my house, him complaining and blaming me. I was royally pissed off by the time I got home. "This is all your fault. I told you to stop and you didn't. Good luck getting home." I said as I tossed his keys into the yard.

I walked into the house putting on a brave front but as soon as I saw my mom, my resolve crumbled and the tears fell. I walked into my mother's arms and cried.

"Sweetie what happened?" I told her what had happened forgetting that my dad was standing there until he stormed out of the house.

"Mom stop him. He will kill him." We ran out into the yard and I saw my father holding Ryan off of the ground by the neck in full vampire mode.

"Angel put him down this instant." Mom yelled but daddy didn't move.

"Daddy stop it." He finally placed Ryan back on the ground.

"Don't you EVER come near my daughter again. In fact don't even think about her, look at her, say her name or even breathe in her direction. Do you understand me?" Dad shouted and he nodded. " If I find out that you have broken any of my rules you won't need to see a vampire movie to find out what they are capable of. I'll give you a personal lesson. Now get the hell away from my daughter."

"My…my keys." He blubbered and mom handed them to him.

"Bye bye now." We stood there and watched as Ryan pulled out the driveway as soon as his headlights faded in the distance I turned around and faced my father, fury burning in my brown eyes.

"How could you do that?" I spat

"What? I…"

"When it gets back at school what you did, what you are, I'll be humiliated. I had it under control. Are you happy? You've ruined my life." I shouted as I ran in the house.

I don't how long I was in my room sobbing before my mom came up. She didn't talk which was good because I wasn't in the mood to talk. She just rubbed my back until I fell asleep.

The next day I ignored my dad all day. He tried to talk to me a few times but I just walked away from him. I was so angry. He really embarrassed me.

"Hey baby girl. I brought you some dinner." Mom said as she brought a tray of food in to me. I have been spending the day moping in my room.

"Thanks mom." I said as I pulled myself into a sitting position. "Yummy, meatloaf and mashed potatoes. My favorite."

"I know." She said with a smile as I started to eat.

"Mommy, I don't want to go to school tomorrow." I mumbled with a mouthful of meatloaf.

"I figured as much but you need to go. You need to be able to defend yourself if Ryan told anyone what happened and if not you need to convince him to keep your father's secret."

"I hate him." I said.

"Ryan?"

"Him too." She knew who I was talking about.

"Sweetie you need to talk to him."

"He ruined my life." Mom laughed

"Your life isn't ruined baby girl. You don't even know if Ryan will say anything and if he does you will call him a liar and get on with your life." I just looked at her.

"Fine." I sighed. "You can come in." I yelled because I knew he was waiting outside my door. He walked in looking like a lost puppy dog.

"I'll just leave you two alone." Mom said as she took my dinner tray slipped out of my room.

"Hey chipmunk." He said softly sitting on my bed. I pulled my knees up to chest, wrapped my arms around them.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you." I whispered, staring at my bed.

"I'm sorry that I almost killed your date." An involuntary giggle escaped from my mouth. How many fathers actually say that and mean it? "Sweetheart, I couldn't help myself. He hurt my baby girl. The tears that were rolling down your face, I just couldn't take it. It broke my heart. My overwhelming desire to protect you just took over."

"Daddy, I can protect myself. I broke his arm."

"I know baby, but he broke your heart."

"It's part of growing up daddy. My heart will get broken again and there is nothing that you can do to stop it. It hurts and I know you know that. Mom told me the story of Buffy but you know that hearts will heal. You fell in love with mom." He pulled me into his arms and hugged me tightly.

"When did you get so smart?"

"I've always been smart." I mumbled into his chest.

"You are just like your mother." He said laughing as he kissed my head.

"Just don't forget it. I can take care of myself physically and emotionally. Just like her."

"I know chipmunk. I know."

"I love you daddy."

"I love you too Catherine."

I returned to school the next day and to my surprise Ryan wasn't there. The rumor was that he had some sort of psychotic break and he said that he saw real vampires. Everyone asked me what had happened because they knew about our date and all I said was the movie that we (never) saw must have scared him. My family's secret was safe and I could relax. Life was good.

**Please send me a review with your thoughts.**


	4. Chapter 4

**I own none of the characters of Angel**

_**Cordelia's POV**_

"Where is she?" I asked as soon as Gunn opened the door. Thirty minutes ago I received a panicked call from Gunn because his daughter and baby boy were going to prom together. Even though Chase was two years older than Ali she had started school a year early then skipped a grade and now they were both seniors. They have been the best of friends for years and at the beginning of the school year Chase finally decided to move their relationship to the next level and things have been going well.

"She's upstairs. She is freaking out and my help isn't what she needs. She needs a woman's touch." He smiled tightly. He hated that his wife was gone and his daughter was without a mother on one of the most important nights of her young life. "She told me that she's not going." I smiled and glanced at my watch.

"Chase should be here in about an hour so I should get to work."

"Thanks Cordy." I smiled at my longtime friend."

"What is family for?" I jogged up the stairs to Ali's room. I knocked on the door.

"Go away."

"Ali, honey it's me." The door flew open and Ali grabbed my hand and yanked me in the room. I could tell she had been crying. Her eyes were all red and swollen and she had dried mascara on her cheeks.

"Aunt Cordy, look at my hair. The stupid salon ruined it. I look like a damned pumpkin." I saw her eyes fill with tears.

"Okay Ali cat no more tears because I'm going to have a hard enough time getting the swelling down as it is."

"But look at my hair Aunt Cordy. I can't go like this. What will Chase think?"

"Sweetheart it's only hair and you could show up with no hair and Chase will still think that you are beautiful. Now sit." I ordered and she did.

"Now how do you want your hair, up or down?"

"Up I think."

"Then up it is." I said as I got to work, sharing stories of all of the times I did this with Catherine. Forty-five minutes later Ali was a vision of beauty; She stood in front of the mirror in her pale green gown that looked absolutely perfect against her dark skin.

"You look beautiful Ali." She wrapped her arms around me.

"Thank you Aunt Cordy." She whispered.

"My pleasure."

_**Chase's POV**_

I stood in front of the mirror trying for the umpteenth time to tie my damn tie. I hated this thing. If I never had to wear one again I would die happy.

"Dad." I yelled as I headed downstairs. He was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs.

"What's up?'

"This damned tie. I can't do it." My dad started to laugh and I shot him a glare.

"Sorry. You're just nervous. Come here and let me." I walked over to my dad and he expertly tied my pale green tie. "You look good son." He said as we stood next to each other as I checked myself out in the mirror and even though he was right next to me, my reflection was the only one to be seen.

"Oh shit." I suddenly thought of something.

"Chase you better watch your mouth around your mother." He smirked.

"I forgot to get Ali a corsage." I couldn't believe I forgot to get a corsage. "Dammit, Ali is going to kick my ass."

"Go to the fridge and grab me some blood."

"Dad we don't have time for you to decide that you are hungry and need blood. We have to leave now and pray I can find a corsage."

"Chase, go to the fridge now." He was unbelievable. I totally screwed up prom and all my dad could think about is his stomach. I angrily threw open the fridge, almost ripping it off of the hinges and I saw a corsage sitting on the top shelf. Feeling like an ass I grabbed it and slowly walked back to the living room.

"Thanks dad."

"Hey it was all your mom. My only job was to make sure you got it. I suppose that I could have just told you that it was in there. It was just more fun for me to torture you a little." He said with a smug smile on his face.

"Gee thanks dad."

"My pleasure." We left together a few minutes later. Dad was catching a ride with me over to Ali's so mom could get all of the pictures that she wants and then they are coming home together.

"Do you have condoms?" Dad asked and I almost swerved off the road.

"Excuse me?" I managed to choke out.

"Chase I may be old but I'm not stupid."

"Did you have this conversation with Catherine before her prom?" I was totally trying to change the subject.

"Catherine didn't need this conversation before her prom. She went with a bunch of girlfriends." Damn, my goody toe-shoed sister.

"What makes you think that we are going to have sex tonight?"

"The after prom party Chase? Seriously? I have known both of you your entire life and neither of you are the party goers, with the exception of your drunken escapade when you were sixteen and dumb as hell."

"Does Charles know?"

"If he is the kind of father like I am, which I think that he is he chooses to think that his daughter will never have sex." He said with a grin. "Now, do you have condoms or should we stop before you pick her up?"

"Yeah, I have them." I mumbled. This was so embarrassing.

"Have you guys made love before or will this be the first time?"

"Dad…" I begged

"Come on Chase. I'm your dad. It's my job to talk to you about this kind of stuff." I know that he wasn't going to drop this.

"It will be the first time for both of us."

"Just remember to be gentle with her and go slow. It always hurts the woman the first time and sadly you'll be done before she even gets started but that's how it goes for guys. If she is willing for another round go slow and make sure she is satisfied, even if you're not."

"Thanks dad."

"One more piece of advice. Please God be careful. If she gets pregnant, Charles will kill you."

"I got it dad." I pulled up to Ali's house. Because the sun was still out Dad placed his coat over his head and ran onto the shade of the porch and I followed slowly behind. I felt like I was picking her up for my first date. Mom was waiting at the door when I got on the porch. She quickly yanked me inside.

"Look at you. My baby boy all grown up." She said tearfully. My mom could be so emotional sometimes.

"Mom, knock it off."

"You look so much like your father."

"Poor kid." Charles quipped.

"Thanks for the corsage mom." I said. "I forgot about it." I admitted.

"I know you did. That's why you have a mom like me to make sure that you don't forget important stuff."

"And what a great mom you are." I leaned down and kissed her.

"Ali, Chase is here." Charles yelled up the stairs. We all stood anxiously waiting for the woman of the evening. Within minutes she was descending the stairs and I swear to God my heart fell into my stomach. She was so beautiful.

"Oh My God, Al you look amazing." I whispered

"You look pretty hot yourself." I leaned down and kissed her until I heard her dad clearing his throat.

"I ahhh I got you a corsage." I held it out in front of her.

"Chase it's gorgeous and I know that you didn't pick it out." The whole room laughed.

"Aww hell. Mom got it for you."

"I figured as much but I still love you." I placed the corsage on her wrist and she pinned a green rose to my suit jacket. For the next twenty minutes mom and Charles snapped tons of pictures.

"Okay guys, we really need to go. We have reservations in a half hour."

"Have fun guys." Dad said and I felt myself blush so I sent him a glare. After a bunch of hugs were exchanged we were finally able to escape to start the best night of our lives.

--

Dinner was good, overpriced but good. Hell, if Ali wanted to go to a restaurant that cost a thousand dollars a plate then that's what Ali would get. Prom itself was fun. We danced, mocked the prom king and queen and we hung out with our friends but all night we both kept thinking about what was to come and we were nervous.

"You ready?" I whispered

"Yeah, I'm getting a little bored." We said goodbye to our friends and headed out. I had been saving my money for a long time for this night because I wanted it to be special for Ali. I made a reservation at a nice hotel, no trashy no name motel for my girl. I checked us in earlier in the day so we didn't have stop at the desk.

"Nervous?" I asked as we rode up the elevator.

"No." She said quickly.

"Ali."

"Okay fine. Yeah, I'm a little nervous. I…I'm just afraid that after this things won't be the same with us anymore. You are my best friend Chase and I don't want to lose that and I'm afraid that we will." The doors opened so I didn't answer her. Never letting go of her hand I led her to our room and we sat on the bed.

"Al, sweetheart when we decided to start dating we talked about our friendship. You are my best friend too and I don't ever want to lose that. Look at my parents, they started out as friends first and they are still so happy together. I think that if we make love tonight our relationship will only get stronger and I want to make love to you more than anything but if you're not ready then I understand. I'll be happy to just hold you in my arms tonight." She reached up and placed her hand on my cheek.

"I love you Chase Angel and I'm ready to make love to you. I guess I just need to hear how you felt about me and our relationship."

"You can ask me how I feel anytime. I love you Ali Gunn and one day I will marry you."

"I'm going to hold you to that Chase." We leaned forward and our lips met in a passionate kiss. We fell back onto the bed and just kissed for a while. Over the past few months whenever we made out she has let me put my hand up her shirt and under her bra. Our last make out session she was wearing a skirt and my hand traveled under her skirt and I was able to give her an orgasm. That's when we decided to take things to the next level.

At some point during our hot and heavy kissing my suit jacket, tie and shirt had come off.

"I'm ready." She whispered so I pulled her to her feet.

"Are you sure?" She answered by unbuckling my belt, unbuttoning my pants and shoving them to the floor. I easily kicked them to the side. My hand slid up her back until I found her zipper. I slowly pulled it down, running my fingers over her soft back. Her dress easily slid off of her gorgeous body and I took a minute gazing hungrily at her. She reached behind her, unhooked her bra and tossed it to the floor. I felt myself gulping. She slid her fingers under the waistband of her panties and slid them to the floor.

"Oh my God, Al, you are so beautiful." I whispered. I found that I couldn't move. I was frozen in the presence of her beauty. She walked over to me and kissed me distracting me enough to pull off my boxers.

"Chase, make love to me." She whispered in my ear. I thanked God that I inherited my father's vampire strength because I was easily able to scoop her up, carry her over to the bed and with one hand I was able to turn down the bed and then place her in the middle of the giant king sized bed.

Sadly I had to leave her alone on the bed to go to my pants for the condoms that I brought, I wasn't taking any chances. I kept one and placed the rest on the nightstand next to the bed. With shaking hands I opened the package. I was so intent on pulling the condom out that I jumped in surprise when her hand closed over mine.

"Let me." She whispered and I was powerless. I scooted back on the bed and handed her the condom then I watched in amazement as she rolled it on me.

"Where did you learn to do that? Something I should know?"

"Health class Chase. We had to practice on bananas." I smiled and quickly tackled her to the bed causing both of us to laugh.

"I love you Ali." I told her before I began kissing her. My hands found her breasts and she gasped into my mouth. After a few minutes of foreplay I was ready and from the sound of Ali's panting, she was ready too. Propping myself on one hand I used my other hand to guide myself to her opening. Before I entered her I looked into her eyes and she nodded her assurance. I remembered what my dad had told me and I made sure that I entered her very slow. I groaned as I slowly filled her. It felt absolutely perfect to be inside her. I froze when I heard her cry out in pain.

"Al?"

"It's okay."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"It's a good hurt." I was very hesitant. "Please Chase." As much as I didn't want to hurt her I wanted to give her what she wanted so I pushed forward. When I was in as far as I dared I began to thrust myself slowly inside of her and I thought that I was in heaven. The pain must have subsided because Ali was starting to respond and three thrusts later I was done. I slowly pulled out and walked humiliated to the bathroom to get rid of the condom. My dad said it would be quick but damn, that was ridiculous. Ali joined me a minute later. She grabbed a washcloth to clean herself up. I panicked when I saw the blood. I never wanted to hurt her.

"Oh shit Al, I'm so sorry." She looked at me and smiled.

"Sweetie, I'm fine. It's all part of the first time."

"Yeah well my dad told me the first time would be quick but I didn't realize it would be like that. I'm sorry I finished too fast." I was truly humiliated.

"That means that we will have to try again." She ran her nails down my thigh and walked out of the bathroom. I shook my head. My girlfriend was an amazing woman. I was so lucky to have her.

"I love you Ali. I don't deserve you." I whispered in her ear as I joined her back on the bed.

"Oh yes you do." I pulled her into my arms and kissed her and the second time that we made love was so much better then out first time. This time both Ali and I had an orgasm and I knew that with a lot of practice our sex life would be getting a lot better.

--

"Thank you so much for the most amazing night of my life." Ali whispered breathlessly. It was four thirty in the morning and we had been standing in front of her house kissing for the past fifteen minutes.

"You gave me the best night ever." I kissed her again.

"I can't wait to do this again."

"Don't worry, we will do it again soon." I promised her and we joined our lips again until the porch light came on. Ali groaned and pulled away.

"Hi daddy."

"It's four thirty in the morning. Our neighbors are going to call the cops for this public display of affection going on out here." Charles said

"We are just saying good night." Ali said

"Make it quick." He stood there waiting.

"I love you. Call me when you wake up." I quickly gave her a peck.

"I love you too and I will." She slowly walked away from me but never taking her eyes away from mine until her father shut the door behind them. As I walked back to my car I had a new spring in my step that wasn't there before and it was all because of my beautiful girlfriend who I loved more than anything.

My parents were asleep on the couch when I got home. I tried to sneak in without waking them but it didn't work because of my father's stupid vampire hearing.

"Cor…he's home." Dad mumbled sleepily

"Hey I didn't have a curfew tonight." I said

"I know sweetheart. I just wanted to hear about your night." She said.

"It was fine."

"I'm sure it was." Dad said with a wink.

"I know that you guys didn't go to the after party Chase." Mom said

"What the hell dad? Did you hire a skywriter?" I really didn't want to talk about my newfound sex life with my mother.

"I wish I would have thought of that." I rolled my eyes.

"He didn't tell me Chase. You are my son and I know you. All I'm going to say is treasure that girl and don't hurt her."

"Mom tonight was amazing, something that I will treasure forever and I will never hurt her. I love her." She came over and hugged me tightly.

"I believe you because I know your father taught you how to respect a woman."

"Can I please go to bed?"

"Go ahead baby. I love you."

"Love ya too mom."

As I lay in bed trying to fall asleep I thought about what my mom said about my dad teaching me how to respect a woman and she was right he did teach me that and so much more. He taught me how to love a woman with all that I have. My parents have been together for over twenty years and they act like they are two horny teenagers still very much in love. They were always holding hands, or touching. Most nights when we all stayed home watching movies she was always curled up on his lap. They were always kissing and they still have sex after all these years. I could only hope that in twenty years Ali and I were as in love as we are right now.

**Reviews are really appreciated**


	5. Chapter 5

**I own none of the characters of Angel**

_**Angel's POV**_

I looked at my watch. Only one minute had passed since the last time I had checked. For years Chase has been asking to read Wesley's file on Angelus and I have been putting him off for years by telling him that he had to wait until he had graduated from high school. Well that time finally came last week. My baby boy had graduated from high school number one in his class. Cordy and I had really pushed the idea of college because we wanted more then a life of demon and vampire hunting for our son. He is so smart and he could do so much but he insisted on joining the family business and he definitely inherited our stubbornness. We couldn't talk him out of it.

"Angel standing outside of Chase's office isn't going to make him finish reading any faster." Wesley said with a smirk.

"Thanks for that Wes." He grinned and continued walking.

My stomach was in knots. Cordy told me not to worry so much. She told me that Chase knew who I was, he knew that Angelus wasn't his father but regardless, there was a huge part of me that worried that Chase would hate me after reading about Angelus. I will never forget the look in his eyes when I came back from the dead. That bastard Jacob told Chase that I was a horrible monster that ate people and the worst thing about it was he was right. At one point in my very long life I was that monster that my son was afraid of. I ate people and I enjoyed it. If I close my eyes I can still see the fear in Chase's eyes when he looked at me. I don't think that I can handle seeing it again. I never wanted to see that look in either of my children's eyes. I grabbed my cell phone and dialed the first speed dial on my phone.

"Hey babe."

"Cor, I can't take it."

"He's still reading huh?"

"It's been hours. I know that Wesley's file on Angelus wasn't that big. It's been three hours Cordelia. He should have been done already."

"You know our son Angel. He never reads things just once. He has probably read it a few times, taken notes and called Ali for her opinion."

"What if he hates me?"

"He won't. He knows that you and Angelus are not the same vampire. He knows and loves you and that will never change. "

"You can't know that."

"I know our son Angel and he loves you and that will never change no matter what he learns about Angelus."

"I hate him knowing what I did in my past."

"It wasn't you baby. It was Angelus who is no longer a part of you." I heard her cover the mouthpiece. "Angel I need to get back to work. Quit worrying and I'll see you later."

"Thanks. I love you."

"Me too." She disconnected the call and I resumed my pacing.

**_Chase's POV_**

I could hear my dad pacing outside my office. I had been through Uncle Wes's file on Angelus three times. Mom and dad have never tried to hide what Angelus was or did from me and Catherine but seeing it in print gave it a whole new meaning. Angelus was an evil bastard. As I read through the torture that he put his victims through and the pleasure that he took from it made me sick to my stomach. I actually puked once. I know that my dad was worried about my reaction and hell I don't blame him. I remember how freaked out I was when I was a kid and mom's boyfriend enlightened me as to my dad's former activites. I was so scared that that my father, my hero was going to eat me that I wouldn't go anywhere near him. He's probably afraid that I'll react the same way. I finally decided to put him out of his misery.

"Dad you can come in now." I said softly, knowing with his vampire hearing he would hear me. Within seconds my office door swung opened and my dad, who looked very nervous walked in.

"So…uhh…"

"Dad it's okay. I don't hate you."

"Did you not read the file?"

"Yeah dad I read it."

"And you don't hate me?"

"I hate Angelus. It was him that did all of those horrible things not you." My dad shook his head.

"I wish it was that easy son."

"It is that easy dad. You are not Angelus. He's gone forever. You have a permanent soul. Sure you have his memories but as mom has told you a thousand times it wasn't you. It wasn't the man who raised Cat and me. It wasn't the man who loves my mother more than his own life. The vampire that killed all of those people is not my father, my best friend." Mom was right. He had such a guilty conscious. He really needed to get over it already. I decided to tell him that myself. "You really need to let your guilt go dad. It's not healthy."

"I'm really your best friend?" He sounded surprised.

"Besides Ali yeah dad you are my best friend. There is no one else in the world that I trust more than you. You're actually my hero." We both stood and walked around my desk and shared a manly hug. "I love you dad."

"I love you too son." My cell phone beeping ruined our tender moment. I pulled it out and read my text message.

"It's Cat."

"You're weekly dinner?" My sister and I were pretty close. Catherine moved out a couple of years ago and that's when we started going out to eat once a week to catch up and now even though we work together we still get together so we can talk about non work related items.

"Yeah, she is bringing her new guy." I saw dad's hand tighten into a fist. He was always so protective of Catherine and so far no man has been good enough for her in my father's eyes and I have inherited that same protectiveness of my sister. I must admit that I have threatened a few of her "friends" Catherine is a good woman who deserves a good man like my father and so far none of those worthless losers she has dated is worthy of my sister's heart.

"I expect a full report on this guy tomorrow."

"I know." I sent him the smile that I inherited from him. "You do realize that she will rip my head off if she knows I'm spying for you."

"It's a risk I'm willing to take." He slapped me on the shoulder. "Have fun and give her my love."

--

_**Catherine's POV**_

"You're brother is pretty cool." Alex told me.

"Yeah. He's not so bad." I smiled and he leaned forward and kissed me.

"Do you need a ride home?" He asked when we broke apart.

"No Chase will take me home."

"I'll call you tomorrow." I smiled at him as he walked to his car. As soon as he was out of sight I linked arms with my brother.

"So what do you think?" I asked him.

"He's okay."

"Okay? That's it, just okay?"

"What do you want me to say Cat? I hardly know the guy?"

"I know you have an opinion. You always have an opinion." I respected my brother and I wanted his input.

"Come on. Let's get some ice cream."

"Don't change the subject Chase Angel." Ice cream actually sounded pretty good.

"I'll tell you after we get some." I sighed, knowing he wasn't going to budge. We walked over to the ice cream stand and each ordered a cone.

"Spill it Chase."

"He's not good enough for you." He blurted out.

"How the hell can you say that? You only spent an hour with him." I snapped.

"Back off Cat. You asked." He was right. I did ask.

"I hated the way that every time a woman walked past the table he checked them out and I don't think he knows where your eyes are because he couldn't take his off of your chest."

"That's not true." I defended.

"It's only my opinion."

"Well not every guy can be as perfect as you and dad."

"I agree. Our type of perfection is almost impossible to achieve." He said with a smirk and I couldn't help but smile back at him.

"So what are you going to tell dad?" He shot me a look of surprise. He thought I didn't know that he gives him reports on my love life.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You are such a bad liar Chase. I know that you report back to dad."

"You're not mad?"

"Not really. With your reports I don't get as many probing questions."

"I'm going to tell him that I think Alex is an ass but I really haven't gotten the chance to get to know him."

"Very good little brother."

I couldn't be mad a Chase or dad. They only want what's best for me. I would never admit to Chase but I am so jealous of his relationship with Ali. They are really in love and I think that they are going to last forever. I hope to one day find that for myself.

"So what do you think of Angelus?" I knew that he had read the Angelus file.

"Oh my God, he was a monster." Chase began to tell me about everything that he had found out about our father's other half. We had just finished our ice cream and returned to his car when it happened. A bunch of vampires attacked us. Because we were unprepared and they weren't neither Chase or I could access our stakes. These bastards were strong and fast. Even though we were out numbered, there were at least ten of them we fought hard and it took at least five minutes before they were able to subdue us. I thought for sure that this was the end but instead of drinking I was hit over my head and knocked unconscious. The last thing I saw before I slipped into darkness was my brother being hit over the head with a large pipe.

_**Cordy's POV**_

I was pulled out of my dream by soft cold lips on my own. Not even opening my eyes I responded to those lips because I knew that those were the lips of my husband. I held out for as long as I could before I needed to breathe and I reluctantly pulled out of his embrace.

"Did you kill it?" I mumbled sleepily. After dinner he had gotten a call from Wesley. There was demon that needed to be killed.

"Yeah we got it." I looked around the room for my son, assuming that he was with his father.

"Where's Chase?"

"He never answered our page."

"Did Catherine say where he went after their dinner?"

"We haven't heard from her. I was hoping that they were both here."

"I don't think so."

"You were sleeping."

"Chase always wakes me up when he get home." Just as I was beginning to worry the phone rang. "Go check in his room." I instructed and I reached for the phone.

"Hello?"

"Aunt Cordy, It's Ali. I'm sorry to bother you but I'm looking for Chase. He hasn't answered any of my calls." Angel had returned shaking his head. Chase wasn't in his room. This was not good.

"Sweetheart Chase isn't here. He and Catherine went to dinner tonight and they probably went to a movie afterward and his phone is off. I'll try to get in touch with him and I'll have him call you."

"Thanks Aunt Cordy." I disconnected the call and looked at Angel with worry in my eyes.

"Don't panic Cor. Maybe he's with Ali."

"No he's not. She just called. He hasn't answered any of her calls either. Why didn't you call me earlier when you couldn't reach them?" My panic was quickly turning to anger.

"We gave Catherine and Chase the night off so honestly I wasn't surprised when he didn't answer his page. We really didn't need him but he told us to always page him." Before I could yell at him a vision hit me.

"Cor what is it?" I was pale and shaking. My kids were in trouble.

"Catherine and Chase…taken…vampires."

"Where are they?"

"Lindsey…"

"Lindsey? Where the hell is Lindsey? I've never heard of it."

"No…Lindsey has them." I whispered.

"Lindsey? Who the…" I watched as the confused look was replaced by recognition. "Lindsey McDonald?" I nodded. "That cowboy? It'll be a piece of cake." I was shaking my head.

"Angel he's a vampire." His eyes got wide. "A very strong vampire.

--

_**Chase POV**_

I forced my eyes open and immediately wished that I hadn't because my head hurt so damn bad. I attempted to move my arms but I quickly realized that my arms were changed to the wall along with my feet. I turned my head and saw my sister in the same position as I was. I started pulling on the chains but it was no use. I knew that I wasn't going to get out of them.

"Catherine, wake up." I shouted and I heard her moan. That was a good sign. "Come on Cat. Wake your ass up." I finally heard her groaning. "Yo, Cat I'm over here." She slowly raised her head to look at me.

"Chase?"

"Yeah it's me." She attempted to move her arms.

"What the hell?"

"We've been captured."

"Thank you Captain Obvious." I rolled my eyes. "Can you get loose?"

"No they're tight as hell." She began to struggle against them.

"God Dammit."

"It's no use. I've tried."

"Who is it?"

"Just some vamps. I didn't recognize any of them."

"Why haven't they killed us?"

"I forgot to ask when I was getting the shit beat out of me."

"No need to be an ass." She snapped.

"Sorry." I mumbled. I was pissed off that we were in this situation and I was taking it out on my sister.

"I can't believe that they got us. We should have been able to stake them."

"There were ten of them Cat and we were taken by surprise. There was nothing that we could have done. They were prepared, we weren't." Suddenly the door to our room opened and a vampire walked in.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"An old friend of your father's." He walked over to me and grabbed my face. "I'll be damned, you like just like your old man. I will take joy in killing you for that reason alone." He then walked over to Catherine and ran his hand around her face, down her neck and arm. "You little lady, you look just like your mama. So beautiful. I think that you will make a lovely mate for me. Just think, the daughter of the vampire with a soul who helps the helpless, becoming evil. It's a damn fairy tale."

"Get away from her." I shouted as his hand traveled toward her chest.

"What the hell to you want?" Catherine spat.

"I want to punish your dear old dad."

"Then go after him."

"The easiest way to do that is through you too. I'm going to make him watch me kill your brother here, turn you and then he will be begging me to kill him to put him out of his misery which I will do with pleasure."

"Do you have any idea who you are dealing with?" I asked

"Oh believe me, I do. When I was human I had lots of dealings with Angel."

"He will kill you." Catherine said.

"He will try but he won't succeed."

"Bullshit." I said.

"So what's the plan? Are we just going to wait around for our dad to show or are you going to call and invite him for tea?"

"Aren't you the smart ass just like dear old dad?" I glared at him. "I expect him here any time. I'm sure that your mommy got a vision of your whereabouts." Suddenly a buzzer sounded. The man vamped out and walked over to me with an evil smile. "Oh goody, daddy's here. Time for the fun to start." He grabbed my hair and exposed my neck. I heard Catherine screaming as he sank his teeth into my neck. I quickly became very tired and I couldn't keep my eyes opened. I tried to fight it but it was no use. Within seconds the darkness had overtaken my body. My last conscious thought was of Ali and how much I loved her.

**Thanks for reading. Please send me a review with your thoughts.**


	6. Chapter 6

**I own none of the characters of Angel**

_**Angel's POV**_

"Would you please slow down?" Cordy yelled at me.

"I can't." I yelled back. "You said that there wasn't much time." I knew that I was driving like a maniac but I couldn't help it. My kids were in danger, they needed me and I couldn't get there fast enough.

"Not all of us are vampires who would survive a head on collision." She was worried and taking it out on my driving.

"We are not going to crash. I'm a vampire with lighting fast reflexes."

"Yeah well Wesley doesn't and we can't afford to lose him and the slayers so SLOW DOWN." She screamed. Cordy had seen that besides Lindsey there were at least ten other vamps with him so we grabbed a few of our slayers to help us out.

"You know what Cordy.." I began but was quickly interrupted by a voice from the back seat.

"Enough you two." Connor yelled. "Screaming at each other isn't going to get us to Catherine and Chase any quicker." Cordy and I glanced at each other. We knew he was right. She reached out and grabbed my hand, squeezing it tightly.

Lindsey taking Catherine and Chase was all my fault. If I hadn't of tormented him while he was human and living in LA then my kids wouldn't be in danger. I wish I had been able to foresee this happening because if I could have I would have killed that asshole during one of the many chances that I had then my kids wouldn't be fighting for their lives.

"He should have taken me." Connor said. "Why didn't he? I'm your kid too dammit."

"I don't know son. Cat and Chase are strong but you are stronger still. Maybe he figured that he couldn't have beat you." Connor adored his younger siblings and he would kill for them so I knew that this was just as hard for him as it was for Cordy and I.

"There it is." Cordy yelled pointing to an abandoned building on the right. I easily slid my car into the parking lot.

"Okay, Trish, Abbey, Darcy, there will be a vampire welcoming committee, approximetly ten of them. Can you handle them?" I asked the slayers.

"Piece of cake." They responded with a smile. They were our best slayers and they loved their job.

"Wes and Connor, you guys are with me. From Cordy's vision Lindsey is very strong and he was…" I didn't even want to say the words but I had to because we hadn't told them what else Cordy saw. "He was drinking them." I watched as Connor's face filled with pure hatred. "So the first priority is getting them the hell out. Cordy…"

"I'm not waiting out here."

"I know that. You come with us and once we release Cat and Chase you and Wesley bring them out here." Surprisingly she didn't argue with me. "If a trip to the hospital is necessary you go with them and I'll meet you when I dust this asshole." She nodded and we all ran in.

The second the door was opened we were attacked and our slayers quickly got to work while the rest of us ran to find Catherine and Chase.

"Which way?" I asked Cordy, hoping that her vision had provided us with directions. Before she could answer we heard Catherine's screams. "To the left." We took off running and I was much faster then they were, following the sounds of my daughter's screams. The closer we got, the louder her screams became and the angrier I got. I knew that I was going to kill him. "She's here." I yelled out before I kicked the door off the hinges. I froze for a split second when I saw Lindsey's teeth in my son's neck.

"Daddy." Catherine screamed as I ran over to Chase. I grabbed Lindsey by the hair and easily threw him across the room.

"Cat are you all right?" I yelled as I gently ripped the chains off of the wall that were holding Chase up.

"Chase." She cried.

"Oh My God." Cordy screamed when she entered the room and saw her kids chained to the wall.

"Connor, get your sister down." I shouted. "Cor, I need something to apply pressure. He's losing a lot of blood." I had my hand over his wound but it wasn't helping. Cordy ripped off her jacket and threw it at me and I pressed it to his neck. From behind me I heard Lindsey beginning to stir and I knew I had to get the kids out of here.

"Daddy is he…" I placed my fingers on his neck and I found a very faint pulse.

"He's alive. Connor get Chase out of here." Connor came over and easily scooped his brother up into his arms. Cordy ran beside him keeping pressure on his wound with hand and dialing 911 with the other. I felt Lindsey's hand on my jacket a split second before I went flying across the room, landing next to Wesley.

"You okay?" I mumbled as I pulled myself up.

"Fine."

"Get out of here Wes. Go help Chase."

"I can help." He groaned as I helped him to his feet. I quickly spun around and sent a kick to Lindsey's face.

"Sorry Wes. This is between me and Howdy Doody. Please help my family." He nodded and jogged out of the room.

"Well well well if it isn't the big fat hero Angel here to save the day."

"I'm not fat." I sent a punch into his face that knocked him on his ass. I heard a sound behind me and I turned around, sword drawn and swinging, "Jesus Christ Catherine." I yelled and pulled back my sword. "I almost killed you. Get out of here."

"I'm going to help you kill that son of a bitch." She gave him a swift kick in the groin as he lunged again.

"This is between me and him Cat."

"Not any more dad. When he kidnapped us and tried to kill my brother I it became between all of us."

"Go Catherine NOW."

"You're daughter is quite the little brat." Lindsey spat and I grabbed my sward and pushed it into his stomach.

"My daughter is not a brat." I yelled as I pulled the sword out and plunged it in again. "Catherine stop acting like a brat and get the hell out of here."

"I want to stay." I pulled the only card that I knew would work with her. I quickly placed my foot on Lindsey's neck and applied as much pressure as I could to his neck. I knew that it wouldn't kill him but it would keep him incapacitated until Catherine was gone and I could focus on killing him.

"Baby, Chase and your mom need you. You know damn well your mom is going to fall apart without you there to tell her everything will be okay. You and I are the only ones who can talk her down. Please baby, I need you to do this for me." I knew she couldn't deny me.

"I love you daddy. Be careful." She quickly kissed me and ran off.

"Now let's finish this cowboy." I growled.

--

**_Cordy's POV_**

"Hang in there baby. Mommy's here and the paramedics are on the way. I can hear the sirens." I cried over my son. I felt his pulse again and it was getting weaker. "You are so strong and I need you to be strong right now."

"Mom." I looked up as Catherine ran out of the building. "How is he?" Tears were rolling down her face.

"He's hanging in there. Where is your dad?"

"Being stubborn and fighting that bastard alone." She said bitterly. My girl was just like her dad, always wanting to fight. Before I could respond the paramedics pulled up.

"Finally." I waited impatiently as they unloaded the gurney.

"What happened?" The paramedic asked. In the years of dealing with the supernatural I have become a pro at lying to hospital authorities.

"My son was attacked. There is a puncture wound in his neck and he lost a lot of blood."

"What weapon was used?" He asked as he examined my son's neck.

"I'm not sure. They ran off before I could see what it was." They loaded him onto the gurney and placed him in the back. I jumped in behind them and grabbed Chase's hand. Catherine started to climb in but she was stopped.

"Sorry Miss. We don't have room."

"He's my brother."

"Honey, go with Uncle Wes and meet us at the hospital." She nodded and stepped out of the ambulance. The last thing I saw as the door shut was my daughter sobbing in my friend's arms.

Ten minutes later we pulled into the hospital and Chase was rushed in and I followed quickly behind them

"18 year old male with massive blood loss." The paramedic stated. "Pulse 42 BP 90/56."

"Do we know his blood type?"

"B positive." I spoke up.

"You are?"

"His mother."

"Any allergies?"

"No none." The doctor nodded and they wheeled Chase away and I followed.

"Ma'am you have to wait here."

"But I…"

"Sorry." He said.

I was left standing alone as my boy was taking away from me. This wasn't the first time and I'm sure due to his line of work, this wouldn't be the last. I really didn't want this kind of life for either of my children. I didn't want them risking their lives fighting monsters but growing up in the envirorment that they did it didn't surprise me that they wanted to follow in their father's footsteps. I swear sometimes they forget that they aren't as strong as Angel.

"Mom how is Chase?" I turned around and pulled her into my arms and hugged her tightly. "Mom?"

"He's hanging on sweetheart. He's strong, just like his dad, speaking of which have you heard from him?"

"No nothing."

"I hate that he is fighting Lindsey alone."

"He's not alone. Connor is with him." Catherine said bitterly.

"What's wrong with that?" I asked

"Dad won't let me stay and help him fight but he'll let Connor. He always picks Connor to fight with him." I knew exactly why Angel wouldn't let her fight but before I could respond Angel burst into the waiting room.

"Where's Chase?" He asked.

"They took him back. What happened to Lindsey?" I asked

"Dusted." Connor said proudly and I saw Catherine tense up but as usual, Angel missed it.

"Of course he is." Catherine mumbled under her breath. I know damn well as did Catherine that he heard her with his vampire hearing but he ignored it. "Ali." Catherine said suddenly. I had totally forgotten her.

"I'll call her." I announced and headed outside because I couldn't use my cell in the hospital. She answered on the first ring and I instantly felt bad for not calling her sooner.

"Aunt Cordy?"

"Hi sweetheart."

"He's hurt isn't he?"

"I'm sorry. He was bitten by a vampire and he's at the hospital getting some blood." Ali immediatley started sobbing.

"Cordy?" Gunn must have taken the phone from his daughter.

"Lindsey McDonald became a vampire and went after the kids. He drank from Chase?"

"Lindsey? The cowboy?"

"Yeah but Angel dusted his sorry ass."

"How is Chase?"

"I think we got here in time."

"I'm bringing Al over. We'll be there shortly."

An hour later we were all still waiting for news on Chase. Ali and Gunn had joined us by now and Catherine still wasn't speaking to Angel. We were all worried and stressed.

"Family of Chase Angel?" All of us jumped up at the sound of the doctor's voice.

"That's us." Angel said. "How is my son?"

"Chase will be fine. He has lost a lot of blood but we were able to transfuse him."

"Can we see him?" I asked

"One at time please. He's been moved to a private room. 2456."

"Thank you." I said and then I turned around and faced my family.

"You should go first mom." Catherine said and I looked at Ali who nodded and we headed to the elevator.

--

**_Catherine's POV_**

I was pacing up and down the hallway in front of my brother's room still furious with my father for not letting me help him fight. No matter how many fights I had won, no matter how hard I fought I would never be as good as Connor.

"Catherine let's go get some coffee." Dad said as I passed him for the umpteenth time.

"You don't drink coffee." I snapped.

"No I don't but you do." He took my elbow and led me to the vending machine away from everyone else. He silently put the money into the machine and handed me the dispensed cup. I took the cup from him and headed towards the window where the early morning sunlight was shining through, a place I knew that he couldn't come.

"Very nice Catherine." He said

"I don't know what you're talking about." I smarted.

"I know your mad at me sweetheart."

"No dad, I'm not mad. I'm furious."

"Will you let me explain?"

"There is nothing to explain." I snapped. "I know what your problem is with me. I know that no matter what I do, no matter how hard I fight that I will never be as good as Connor is in your eyes." I wiped angry tears away. Dammit I didn't want to cry. It will just show him how week I am. He surprised the hell out of me by reaching into the sunlight and pulling me towards him. I could smell his burning flesh.

"Catherine sweetheart that's not true." He had pulled me to his chest and he was holding me tightly.

"Then why wouldn't you let me fight? I'm strong just like you and Connor. I don't need you to protect me. You won't always be around to protect me. I can take care of myself."

"I know how damn strong you are honey. You have given both Connor and I a run for our money many times. I know that you can take care of yourself. Your strength or ability to take care of yourself was never the issue."

"Then what was?"

"Your mom had a vision. That's how we found you guys."

"That's what he said."

"In her vision she saw Lindsey killing you both. He had already drank from Chase and if you would have stayed then there was a chance that he would have killed you and I couldn't risk it. I almost lost Chase and I couldn't risk losing my little girl." Well now it all made sense.

"Mom's visions don't always come true and they can sometimes be changed,"

"I wasn't risking it or you."

"Well you could have told me." I wasn't letting him off the hook that easily.

"You're right I should have and I'm sorry I didn't. I love you, Connor and Chase equally. I just have a special place in my dead heart for my little girl." He flashed me his smile that I could not resist. I smiled back.

"I love you daddy but I am not a little girl anymore."

"You'll always be my little girl." He hugged me tightly. "I love you Cat. Come on let's go check on your brother." We linked arms and headed to Chase's room. "Oh by the way I'm always going to be around. It's the vampire in me." I just laughed. Dad was right. He would always be here protecting and loving me.

_**Chase's POV**_

Considering that I had lost a hell of a lot of blood, I felt pretty damn good, just tired. Everyone had come in to see me and of course mom cried like a baby and dad told me how brave I was and how proud he was of me. Don't get me wrong, I was glad that everyone was here but I really wanted to see Ali. Catherine was my last visitor and she told me that Ali was here so I was hoping that she was on her way in. I waited for five minutes until I saw her beautiful face. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying but she was still gorgeous to me.

"Hey sweetie." I said.

"Chase." She said as she ran over to me, wrapping her arms around my neck. I was so scared." She sobbed. I slid my arms around her, trying to comfort her.

"Don't be scared. I'm okay. Everything is fine." My words did nothing to ease her sobs so I easily lifted her up and placed her on the bed beside me. She laid her head on my chest and I wrapped my arms around her and just held her until she stopped crying.

"Are you okay?" I asked her softly.

"No. I thought that you were dead Chase."

"I'm not Al. I'm fine."

"But you weren't fine an hour ago." She pulled herself away from me and off of the bed. "I can't do this Chase." She said looking at the floor.

"Do what Ali?" I asked although I knew where this conversation was heading.

"I can't lose you."

"You didn't lose me. I'm right here."

"You almost died and I can't wait around until that happens. I love you Chase but I can't watch you die."

"My mom got a vision and they got to me in time." I said despertley.

"She also got a vision about my mom and they didn't make it. I can't lose another person I love to vampires." She was trying so hard to control her sobs but she was struggling.

"Then I'll quit Ali."

"And you'll be miserable because of me. You were meant to do this Chase. You were born to fight monsters."

"I'll be miserable without you Al."

"I'm sorry Chase."

"Please don't do this." She leaned forward and kissed my lips softly, her tears mixing with my own.

"I love you. I'll always love you Chase Angel."

"Then stay with me." I cried as she walked to the door.

"I'm sorry. I just can't." She quickly walked out of the room and out of my life and I had never felt so alone before.

**Thanks for reading. How about sending a review my way? Pretty please**


	7. Chapter 7

**I own none of the characters of Angel**

_**Catherine's POV**_

I stood outside of my brother's office watching him. The vampire attack happened over two months ago and physically Chase had recovered but emotionally he was a wreck and who could blame him? The girl that he had loved for years had broke his heart to keep her heart from getting broken. He came to work everyday but he just sat at his desk staring across the room at the door. It was like he was waiting for Ali to walk in, something that may never happen again.

"Hey dork." I said from the doorway.

"Hey Cat." He mumbled.

"You doing okay?" I asked

"Just peachy."

"Chase I'm so…"

"Don't Cat. I can't handle anyone else being sorry." I nodded. I knew that he knew that I was here for him if he needed to talk.

"I'm talking off early today. I need to see Alex."

"You're still dating that bozo?"

"Shut up." I stuck my tongue out at him. "If you need to talk call me."

"See ya."

On my way to Alex's apartment I stopped at a pharmacy to by a pregnancy test. Alex and I stared sleeping together about a month and a half ago and my period was two weeks late and my period is never late. I have been on the pill for years, which probably accounted for the fact that I was a very regular girl. I still remember the day that he found my pills. I thought that his head was going to explode.

"Catherine Suzanne Angel. Get your ass down here right now." I heard my dad screaming from the living room all the way up in my room. I had no idea why he was so mad. I couldn't remember doing anything wrong. Sighing I opened my door and ventured out into the hallway.

"_Someone's in trouble." Chase sang from his room. _

"_Shut up." I snapped and I slowly walked downstairs. "Hi daddy." I said smiling my most innocent smile at him, trying to soften him up. Sometimes it worked but right now it wasn't. He looked furious. _

"_What the hell is this?" He snapped as he threw my pack of birth control pills at me. _

"_Pills." I mumbled. _

"_What kind of pills?" He asked me through clenched teeth. _

"_Birth control." _

"_Since when are you on the pill?" God, I wish that mom was here to help me out with this._

"_A few years." _

"_Why the hell are you taking birth control?" _

"_Daddy I'm eighteen years old. It's birth control. Why do you think I'm taking them?" Mom put me on the pill when I was sixteen because my periods were so irregular and miserable. I was still a virgin but I was so furious with my father right now I wanted him to think the worse. _

"_You cannot and will not have sex under my roof." _

"_Good thing I'm doing it under your roof." I snapped back. "And what gives you the right to go through my personal belongings?" I knew that they were in my purse. _

"_I wasn't going through your things, I accidently knocked your purse on to the floor and I was picking up the stuff that fell out." _

"_Whatever." I snapped as I grabbed my purse and went back up to my room. Two hours later there was a knock on my bedroom door. I figure that mom had straightened him out regarding my sex life or lack there of. Mom and I were very close and I told her everything so she knew that I was still a virgin. "Go away." I shouted. _

"_Cat, honey please let me come in." Dad said. I went over and ripped my door open._

"_What?" _

"_I need to apologize." _

"_Fine you did what mom asked." He pushed his way into my room and shut the door. _

"_I'm sorry that I yelled at you about the pills." I stared at the floor and so he continued to speak. "Why didn't you tell me that you take them to regulate your period?" _

"_Why did you assume the worse about me and think I'm a slut?" I countered._

"_Baby, I don't think that, not at all. I freaked out because I thought that you were having sex." _

"_What's wrong with that? You and mom do it all the time." My normally pale vampire father turned another shade lighter. _

"_It's different. You mom and I are married adults." _

"_I'm an adult and I know damn well that you had sex before you were married. Hello, I'm eighteen and you guys just celebrated your fifteenth wedding anniversary." _

"_I know that you're an adult baby but you are still my little girl and I don't want to think about you doing that." He admitted softly. _

"_Relax daddy. I'm still a virgin but I always won't be and you need to accept that." _

"_I know that. It's exactly what you're mom said." _

"_Mom is a very smart woman." _

So to say the very least I was a nervous wreck. I'm twenty one and I always wanted kids but just not now. Of course if I was pregnant I would keep the baby but it would be hard. My mom of course would support us and dad would too after he was done freaking out because I know he would really freak out. I think what made me so nervous was I wasn't sure how Alex was going to react. We had never talked about having kids. I hoped that he would be okay with this.

I parked my car in the parking lot of Alex's building, grabbed my pregnancy test and headed up to Alex's apartment. I knocked on the door but didn't get an answer. I was so preoccupied that I didn't look to see if he was home from work yet so I used my key to let myself into the apartment. It looked like he was home. The lights were on and his keys were on the table.

"Alex?" I called but I got to answer. I ventured back towards his room and that's when I heard it. I knew exactly what I was hearing and I should have turned around and left but I didn't. I had to know for sure. His bedroom door was cracked open and I pushed it all the way open. I saw his bare ass up in the air and a pair of legs wrapped around his waist. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my anger because I knew that I could really hurt him. I reached over and turned on the light.

"What the hell?" Alex looked over at me. "Catherine."

"You sorry son of a bitch." I screamed.

"I can explain."

"There is no need for an explanation. I can see exactly what is going on. I hope you and your whore are happy." I turned around and quickly left before he could see my tears. I refused to give him that. As I slammed the door I heard him calling my name.

Somehow through my sobs I managed to make it home. I sat on my couch staring at the pregnancy test through my tears. I couldn't believe how quickly my life had fallen apart. An hour ago I was worried that I was pregnant and now I was worried that I was alone and pregnant by a cheating bastard. I picked up my phone and called the one person that I knew I could trust.

_**Cordy's POV**_

"Chase why aren't you dishes unpacked yet?" I yelled out into the living room. Chase had moved out of our house a month ago and it looked like he had hardly unpacked anything.

"I'm just pulling stuff out as I need to." He told me as he came into the kitchen carrying the pizza we had ordered.

"That's no way to live sweetheart." I told him gently. I was worried about him. Since he and Ali had broken up he has been miserable. Besides the fact that I missed him like crazy I wanted to come over so Angel and I could talk to him.

"What's the point mom?" He asked as he pulled some plates out of a box. "I'm here alone."

"Not tonight Chase. Your father and I are here."

"Dad doesn't count. He doesn't eat food and you are just like me. You can eat pizza right out of the box."

"It's not about the food."

"I know but I don't want to think about it right now."

"Have you called her?"

"Mom…don't."

"All right. I'll drop it for now." Chase and I grabbed some pizza and a can of pop from his fridge and joined Angel in the living room. Conversation was light because my boys were engrossed in the Hockey game that was playing on TV. I finally gave up and headed into the kitchen to wash and put away his dishes that were still in boxes. I had just started running the water when my cell phone rang. I smiled when I saw Catherine's name flash on my screen.

"Hey honey." I answered but she didn't respond. "Catherine?"

"Mommy." She sobbed into the phone. "I need you."

"Are you at home?"

"Yeah." She blubbered.

"I'm on my way."

"Just….you… no…dad…"

"Okay baby." I disconnected the call. "Angel can you come in here?" I yelled and he was by my side in two seconds. "Catherine needs me."

"Is she okay?"

"No. She was crying on the phone but I don't know what happened."

"Let's go."

"She just wants me. You stay here and talk to Chase about Ali."

"I don't know what to say."

"Yes you do. You're his father. You will know what to say." I walked past him into the living room, grabbed my coat and kissed my son's head. "I gotta run but your dad is going to hang out." He nodded. "I love you."

"Love you too mom." Angel walked me to the door.

"Make sure she is okay."

"Make sure that he okay." I countered. He smiled and kissed me.

"Love you Cor."

"I love you too."

_**Angel's POV**_

When I shut the door behind Cordy I was desperate to follow her and make sure my baby girl was okay but I knew that Catherine needed her mother and Chase needed me. I hated that both of my children were miserable at the same time. I walked back into the living room and flipped off the TV.

"Dad I was watching that." Chase complained.

"We need to talk."

"I don't want to." I decided not to give him the option of a conversation.

"Have you called her?" He shook his head. "Do you love her Chase?"

"Of course I do. Why would you ask me that?" He said angrily.

"Because you aren't fighting for her. You are sitting on your ass doing nothing."

"It's what she wants."

"It's not what she wants son. I talked to Charles and he said that she is as miserable as you are."

"Then why did she do it?"

"Because she got scared. She loves you so much and when you almost died she panicked and broke up with you."

"The worst thing about this dad is she wasn't just my girlfriend. She was my best friend and I miss that so much."

"Then go get that friendship back dumbass. Start out as friends again and then hopefully you will get back to what you had. That's what happened with your mom and me."

"Mom broke up with you?"

"Oh yeah." I was hoping that would be enough to suffice him but it wasn't. "After your sister was born I called some old friends of your mom's and mine to let them know about Catherine's birth and I started talking to my ex girlfriend. There wasn't anything special about these conversations but I didn't tell your mom about them. I also started making visits to Sunnydale to check on her and I also failed to mention them to her. Buffy is a slayer and she came to town to destroy a vampire cult and one night after everyone went to bed we were still up planning and she kissed me. I could have, I should have stopped her but I didn't. Instead I kissed her back."

"Not good dad."

"Tell me about it. Of course your mom saw me kiss her but she didn't see me pull away and tell Buffy that I was in love with your mom. I made the entire situation worse by not telling your mom about it and when the secret visits and phone calls came out she was furious and she and Catherine moved out the next day. After about a week of being miserable your mom said that we work on our friendship and you can see where that led. So what I'm trying to say is fight for Ali. I told your mom that I was going to fight for us and it was a long hard fight but eventually it worked."

"So should I call her?"

"Hell no. Go to her house. It will be a lot harder for her to deny speaking to you in person than over the phone." Chase stood up and grabbed his keys.

"Thanks dad."

"Good luck." I told him. I really hoped that they would find their way back to each other.

_**Cordy's POV**_

I knocked on Catherine's door but she didn't answer so I just walked right in. I could hear her sobbing from the hallway where I stood. I rushed into the living room and found her curled up on her couch in a fetal position. I sat next to her and lifted her head onto my lap.

"It's okay sweetie. I'm here." I soothed.

"Oh mommy." She sobbed into my lap.

"What happened baby?"

"Alex…"

"Is he okay?"

"Walked….in…having…sex…someone else." I now knew why she didn't want Angel here because Angel would have killed that boy. In fact he still might when I tell him about this.

"I'm sorry Catherine. I know how much you cared for him." What else could I possible say to my broken hearted little girl?

"I…need…him." She cried.

"No you don't. You deserve so much better than him." She pulled herself off of my lap, walked over to her purse, pulled out a bag and tossed it to me. I slowly opened and my heart dropped into my stomach when I saw the pregnancy test. "Oh Catherine" I whispered.

"I can't do this. I can't raise a baby on my own."

"You are never alone. You have your dad and me and we will help you."

"It wasn't supposed to happen like this. I was supposed to be happily married. Not crying over some cheating bastard."

"How late are you?"

"Two weeks." She whispered.

"Have you taken a test yet?" I thought maybe this was a second opinion test. She shook her head. "We need to know the results before you start panicking." I handed her the bag. "Go take it." She just stared at the bag in her hands, not moving. "Cat honey, go take the test."

"I'm scared mom." I reached over and took her hand.

"It's okay to be scared."

"What if I'm pregnant?"

"No what ifs. What ifs aren't going to do us any good. Now go take the test." She nodded and went off to the bathroom.

While I waited for her to return I seriously considered calling Angel just so he would kill Alex just on principle but I decided against it. It amazed me how his "Killing No Humans" policy became more of a suggestion as the kids got older. Hell, I wanted to kill that bastard for hurting my daughter. I know that heartbreak is a normal part of growing up but with the added fact that she might be pregnant just intensified her hurt. I would do anything to take away her pain. I heard the bathroom door open she came back to join me.

"Well?" I asked.

"It's not ready yet." She handed the test to me. "I can't read it."

"Okay. How much more time?"

"Two minutes." I nodded as we began to wait. I never realized how long two minutes could be.

"You ready?" She shook her head. "Will you ever be ready?" Another shake of her head. As I flipped the test over with shaking hands I realized that I was a nervous as she was. "Catherine it's negative." She threw her arms around me and sobbed.

"I'm never having sex again." She told me when she calmed down.

"Don't say that sweetie. You will meet the right guy and this will all be just a bad dream."

"How will I know that he's the right guy and not another cheating bastard?"

"Well first of all maybe you should listen when you ask someone else's opinion on the guy that you are dating."

"Someone like Chase?" Chase had told me what he thought of Alex and the few times that I had seen him I found myself agreeing with my son.

"Chase wants you to be happy and he will always be honest with you."

"How did you know that daddy was the perfect guy for you?" I snorted.

"Your father is not perfect."

"How did you know that you were meant to spend the rest of your life with daddy? How did you know that he was the one?" She asked

"We were friends first, best friends. I think that friendship is the best foundation for any relationship. I knew that he was the one when he was the first person I thought of when I woke up and the last person I thought of before falling asleep. When he wasn't around I felt empty and when he was around I was full. I knew that he was the one when I couldn't imagine my life without him in it."

"Can't you use your demon powers to find me my perfect guy so my heart won't break again because it hurts so bad."

"If I could baby I would. I don't ever want to see you hurt like this again but a broken heart is part of growing up. Look at Ali and Chase, your father and I. Your mostly human and broken hearts are a given."

"Daddy broke your heart?" I nodded.

"Twice. The first time he kissed another woman and the second time was when he died. I thought my heart broke when he kissed Buffy but it was nothing compared to what I felt when he died. Granted, he couldn't help it when he died but it hurt all the same and I reacted the same as I did when I caught him kissing Buffy. I was mad as hell at him for dying and then I hurt."

"So why should I fall in love then if the perfect guy is going to break my heart and die?"

"Because there is no better feeling then being in love. Love isn't easy. It's a lot of work and sometimes it hurts but it's so worth it sweetheart. If given the chance, knowing that your dad would have died I still would have been with him."

"But he came back." Catherine sniffed.

"If he would have died permanently I still would have been with him because those years that we spent together were worth it."

"Even knowing how bad it hurt when you lost him you would still do it?" I nodded

"When you are with the man that you are meant to be with there is nothing else like it in the world. Lying in his arms, making love, whispering words of love to each other, it's the closest thing to perfection that we will ever find on this earth and I know that you will find it baby. Your perfect man is out there. Just have faith. Now don't go searching. Just wait and eventually you two will meet."

"Do you really think that there is someone as perfect as daddy is for you out there for me?"

"As I have told your father on many occasions, I'm Cordelia Angel. I don't think. I know. I know that you are meant to be with someone who makes you has happy as your father has made me." She laid her head on my shoulder.

"I love you mommy."

"I love you too Catherine."

"Thanks for being here when I needed you."

"I'll always be here and so will your dad."

"Speaking of dad, are you going to tell him?"

"I really don't have a choice since he was with me when I rushed over here and he can always tell when I'm lying."

"Just don't let him kill Alex. He may be a cheating bastard but he doesn't deserve to die."

"I promise I won't let him kill Alex. Now how about some ice cream to help you feel better?" Catherine giggled.

"I don't have any."

"What kind of woman doesn't have ice cream in her freezer?" I stood up and pulled her to her feet. "Come on. Let's remedy this situation right now." She was smiling again as we left her apartment. I knew she wasn't over this heartbreak by a long shot but she was strong like me and Angel and I knew that she would heal and be stronger in the end.

**Thanks for reading. I would really love to read a review. (hint hint) ******


	8. Chapter 8

**I own none of the characters of Angel**

_**Chase's POV**_

I had been sitting in my car for five minutes trying to get up the guts to walk up to the door. I saw the curtain moving so I knew that someone knew I was here. Finally, deciding that it was now or never I got out of my car and headed to the door. I didn't have a chance to knock before Uncle Charles opened the door.

"Chase, it's about damn time you showed up." He said grinning.

"Hey Uncle Charles. Is Ali here?"

"She's upstairs. I didn't tell her you were here because if she would have known she probably would have snuck out her bedroom window."

"Can I fix this?"

"I hope so. Go on up." I slowly walked past him. "Oh Chase." I turned to face him. "You are a good man. You are good for my girl. Good luck son." I nodded and preceded to Ali's room. Taking a deep breath I knocked on her bedroom door.

"Come in." Her sweet voice said. I opened the door and stepped in, closing the door behind me. She looked up from her desk and her eyes widened in shock.

"What are you doing here?" She whispered.

"I need to talk to you."

"I have nothing to say to you." She said as she turned her back to me but I wasn't about to let her get away with that. I walked over and turned her around so I could look at her.

"I miss you Ali." I saw tears fill her eyes.

"Chase please."

"I miss what we had. I miss our friendship. Before we fell in love we were friends first. I told you every secret. I have no one to talk to anymore, not like I talked to you. Can we at least be friends Al?" I begged.

"I can't be your friend Chase."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because it wouldn't be enough." I felt hope rising in my chest.

"Then we can be more." She shook her head.

"I can't risk it."

"Dammit Ali, this is stupid. If you spend your life avoiding what might happen then you'll never truly live."

"What MIGHT happen is you MIGHT die."

"Everyone dies Al. Even my immortal vampire father can die. You can date some guy who doesn't fight monsters or demons and he could die tomorrow in a car accident. You can't avoid death."

"I know that." She snapped. "But it's more of a possibility with you because you put your life on the line every time you go out and fight some stupid vampire."

"I'm careful Al."

"Being careful didn't help you much when that vampire practically drank you dry."

"But he didn't. Look at me Ali I'm fine."

"But one time you may not be."

"And when that happens my dad or sister always have my back."

"You can't count on them being there."

"Yes I can."

"Chase I'm sorry but I can't be with you."

"Bullshit Ali. You're miserable. I'm miserable. Is it really worth it?" She couldn't answer me. She just sat in her chair crying softly. I bent down to her level, lifted her face to mine and pressed my lips to hers. At first she didn't respond but after a minute her lips began moving beneath mine. When I requested entrance of my tongue into her mouth and she opened her mouth. I kissed her like it was the first time. I kissed her like I would never stop.

"Chase." She whispered when we broke apart.

"Can you live the rest of your life without that?"

"I don't want you to die." She told me as she wrapped her arms around my neck and buried her face in shoulder.

"Sweetheart, I'm going to do everything in my power not to die. I don't want to leave you anymore than you want me to go." I whispered into her hair.

"I'm sorry. I just got so scared. I'm sorry Chase." She lifted her tear stained face to mine. "Can you ever forgive?"

"Nothing to forgive sweetheart." She took her hand that was wrapped around me, placed it on the back of my neck and pushed my face to hers for another kiss.

"I love you Chase. I never stopped." She whispered in my ear

"I love you to Ali." We began to kiss again and within a few short minutes the kissing was quickly becoming out of hand. I reluctantly pulled away. "We have to stop." I told her huskily. "Your dad."

"Did you move into your apartment?" I nodded. "Let's go." She grabbed my hand and pulled me downstairs. "Daddy, I'm going to see Chase's new apartment."

"I see you two worked things out." He smirked.

"Yes sir." I stammered.

"Midnight young lady." She kissed his cheek.

"Love you daddy." She never actually agreed to the time.

"One and not a minute later." She grinned.

"Thanks daddy."

The drive to my apartment seemed to take forever. It probably didn't help matters that I hit every red light and Ali kept kissing my neck and running her hand up and down my leg. Since we made love during prom we managed to sneak away at least once a week to make love and it got better every time. The akwardness of the first time was gone and we kept exploring new activities and positions. These last two months that we had been apart have been pure torture for me and apparently for Ali too.

We finally arrived at my apartment building and we rushed in. Of course we had to wait for the elevator and there were people waiting so we had to behave ourselves. After stopping on every floor (or at least it seemed like it) we got to my floor. I grabbed her hand and we jogged to my apartment. Once the door was opened we stumbled in, dropping our clothes on the way to my bedroom. We collapsed naked on the bed, our lips attacked. Without taking my lips from hers I fumbled blindly into my nightstand for a condom. Ali was on the pill but we didn't want to risk getting pregnant because we were still young and she wanted to finish college so I always wore a condom. I reluctantly pulled my lips away from hers so I could put the condom on. I didn't want to make any mistake. She moaned loudly when I finally entered her.

"Oh God…Ali." I groaned. She felt so perfect, so right. As I began to move within her she wrapped her legs around my waist urging me to go deeper within her. I placed my mouth on one of her nipples and I sucked on it, causing her to buck her hips against mine.

"Chase" She moaned as she ran her fingers through my hair, pushing my face against her breast. The one thing that I had learned about Ali is she isn't afraid to let me know what she wants when we make love and right now she wanted me to focus on her breasts. I love her breasts. They were the perfect size, she once told me that she wished that her breasts were bigger but I told her that her C cup was perfect. There was nothing about Ali that I didn't think was perfect. I was in love with every perfect inch of her. I began to move faster within her and she encouraged me by meeting me thrust for thrust. All too soon I was ready to burst. I lifted my mouth from her breast and I knew she was almost there. I knew what to do to push her over the edge because my girl always came first, in every sense of the word. I ran my tongue over the hollow of her neck and within seconds her walls were clenching around me, her nails were digging into my back and she was screaming my name. I quickly followed her lead and I released into her, calling out her name as I did.

"Oh my God, that was amazing." She panted as she lay in my arms.

"Hell yeah." I agreed.

"I'm sorry Chase." I felt her tears hit my bare chest. I knew that it would be pointless to say anything until she had her say. "I shouldn't have left you. I have been so miserable these last two months but when you almost died, my memories of my mother's death came rushing back to me, the fear, the pain, the emptiness, the anger, it all came back and it felt like she died all over again and it was just too much. The thought of going through what my dad went through terrified me so I did what I thought would keep my heart from breaking. I broke up with you but it didn't work. My heart was broken anyway and I was the cause of it, not you dying." She lifted her head up and gently kissed my lips. "Thank you for not giving up on me, for coming back."

"I'll always come for you." I whispered hoarsely.

"I don't deserve you."

"You do sweetheart. We are meant to be together." She was sobbing softly into my chest.

"I love you Chase Angel, so god damned much."

"I love you too Al. More than you'll ever know."

--

**_Angel's POV_**

I had been pacing around the living room since I got home from Chase's an hour ago. Gunn called me after the two love birds took off and he said they looked happy so now that Chase was straightned out I could worry about Catherine. I haven't heard anything from Cordy since she left and it was driving me crazy. The minute I decided to go to Catherine's apartment the door open and my wife and daughter walked in. My eyes quickly focused on Catherine whose eyes were red and swollen. I knew she had been crying and I knew who made her cry and I wanted to kill that piece of shit. Cordy sent me a look that told me to calm down. So I plastered a smile on my face.

"Hi sweetheart."

"I'm going to get us something to drink." Cordy said as she walked past me into the kitchen. Catherine stood there, trying despertly to keep her tears from falling but she failed miserably. She walked over to me, wrapped her arms around neck and sobbed and my heart broke for my little girl.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked her when her sobs subsided. I felt her shake her head. "If you change your mind. I'm here."

"I…I didn't want to be alone so mom said I could stay here."

"This is still your home Catherine. You can stay here anytime you want."

"Thanks daddy." She whispered. I slung an arm around her shoulder and led her to the couch. When she curled up against me I flipped on the TV. I still didn't care for watching it except for the occasional hockey or baseball game. We only got it for the kids and I figured right now Catherine needed distraction. Cordy joined us and she handed Catherine a beer.

"Thanks." She took the bottle and took a nice long swig. I still found it crazy that my daughter was old enough to drink. These past twenty one years went so fast. About thirty minutes later I realized that Catherine had fallen asleep. Cordy pulled the half full beer bottle out of her hand and I scooped her into my arms and carried her to her old bedroom. Cordy turned the bed down and I placed her in the middle. I heard a whimper escape her as she curled up on her side and Cordy covered her up. I bent down and kissed her forehead like I used to do when she was a child.

"Come on babe. Let's go to bed." Cordy told me, grabbing my hand and leading me to our bedroom.

"I'm going to kill that son of a bitch." I seethed as soon the bedroom door closed.

"Calm down." Cordy ordered.

"What the hell did that bastard do to her?"

"I'm not telling you until you promise that you won't kill him."

"I'm not promiseing no such thing. He deserves to die."

"Then I'm not telling you." She said stubbornly and I knew she wouldn't give.

"Fine."

"Fine what?"

"I won't kill him." I mumbled but she looked at me like she didn't believe me. I really didn't believe myself.

"Angel, you can't hurt him. Catherine was very insistent that you don't hurt him." I realized that I couldn't kill the slimeball because my girl didn't want me to.

"I won't." I said sincerily.

"She walked in on him having sex with another woman." I immediately felt sick to my stomach and my desire to kill him rose significantly.

"Son of a bitch."

"That's not the worst part."

"What could be worse than finding out that he is a cheating bastard?"

"She thought she was pregnant." Cordy whispered.

"She thought she was what?"

"You heard me."

"They're sleeping together?"

"Angel that's not the point."

"You're right. Is she?"

"The test was negative but it could be too soon for a positive test. We won't know for sure until her period comes."

"Oh my God. She could be alone and pregnant?"

"She's not alone. She has us."

"I know that. I didn't mean it like that."

"She's worried that you will be disappointed in her."

"Did you tell her that is crazy?"

"Of course I did but she's afraid that if she ends up single and pregnant that you will be ashamed of her."

"Why would she think that?" I sat heavily on the bed. I hated that my daughter would think that she could do anything that would cause me to be ashamed of her. "What did I do?"

Cordy sat next to me and took my hand. "You didn't do anything Angel. She's your little girl and you're her hero and she's vulnerable right now and her biggest fear right now that she's let you down." I stood up and walked to our bedroom door. "Where are you going?"

"Where do you think?"

"She's sleeping."

"I'm not letting her wake up in the morning thinking that I am disappointed in her." I walked to Catherine's old room. "Sweetheart wake up." I shook her gently. Her eyes fluttered opened and she looked confused.

"Dad?"

"I need to talk to you."

"Now?" She yawned.

"Sit up baby." She pulled herself up. "Mom told me what happened tonight." Her eyes immediately filled with tears. "I am so sorry that you had to walk in on that. I hate that you are hurting so much but you need to know something. No matter what happened, or happens, if you end up pregnant I will NEVER be ashamed to call you my daughter or be disappointed in you. I love you Catherine and nothing you do can every change that and if you end up pregnant I know without a doubt that you will be a great mom and that would make me so proud of you. Actually, I'm already proud of you and that will never change." She wrapped her arms around me.

"I'm scared daddy. I don't want a baby right now. I don't know how to be a mom." She sobbed.

"No one knows how to be a mom or a dad. I only had Connor for about a month before he was taken and when I got him back a few weeks later he was a man so when I had you I had some experience but I still felt totally unprepared to be your dad and I know your mom felt the same way but like all parents we learned as we went and we didn't a bad job did we?"

"You guys are the best parents."

"And if you are pregnant you'll be a great mom."

"You don't know that."

"I know you Catherine so I know that you'll be a great mom and your mom and I will be there to help you in anyway that we can."

"I love you daddy."

"I love you too Catherine." I kissed her cheek. "Now get some sleep." She nodded and laid back down. "Goodnight my sweet girl."

"Night dad." She mumbled, already on her way to sleep. I stayed in her room until I heard her breathing even out and once I knew she was in a sound sleep I returned to my room. Cordy was already asleep so I stripped down to my boxers and climbed into bed next to her and wrapped my arms around her.

"Is she okay?" Cordy whispered and I smiled.

"She'll be fine."

"And you, are you okay?"

"I will be when she is."

"You are such a good dad, I hope you know that."

"You're not so bad yourself Cor." She flipped around and grinned at me.

"Not so bad? That's all I get?"

"You're the best Cordelia Angel."

"That's more like it." She leaned forward and kissed me gently and we ended up ending the night like we always do, we made love.

--

**_Catherine's POV_**

I sighed as my cell phone rang again. I picked it up and saw that it was Alex and I immediatley silenced it. He had been calling all morning and all morning I had been ignoring his calls bugt he still hadn't gotten the hint. I was feeling much better this morning, especially since I woke up and found that my period finally started. I never thought that I would ever happily tell my dad that I started my period but I shouted the news throughout my parent's house and because I was happy they were happy for me.

"Hey Cat." I looked up at the sound of my brother's voice.

"Hey dork."

"You look like hell." That's Chase. Always bunt, just like my mother.

"You look like you just got laid." I could be blunt too. He had a stupid grin plastered across his face.

"I did, a couple of times. Ali and I got back together last night." I couldn't help but smile at him.

"I'm happy for you." I meant every word.

"Thanks Cat. So what the hell is going on with you?" Dammit, my eyes filled with tears. I was tired of crying but I couldn't help it. Alex may be an ass but my heart was still broken. I rehashed what had transpired last night with Alex and my pregnancy scare. When I was done I saw that his fists were clenched and his face was red with anger.

"I'm going to kill that son of a bitch."

"That's what dad said."

"Then why is he still breathing?"

"Cause I asked him not to kill Alex and I'm asking you the same thing."

"Why can't I kill him?"

"Well first of all he is human, a shitty human but he is human and we don't kill humans Chase. Secondly, you and dad can't kill every guy that hurts me. I know that you and dad love me but getting hurt is a part of life. I'll be sad and pissed off for a while, but I'll get over it. "

"Cat…"

"This conversation is over Chase. You can't kill him. Got it?"

"Got it."

"Now get to work." He smiled and left me alone.

About two in the afternoon there was a knock on my office door. I was in the middle of some intense research on a Pyrish Demon that I didn't even look up to see who it was.

"Come in."

"Catherine I've been trying to call you all day. Why haven't you answered my calls?"

"I don't have anything to say to you. I had hoped that you got the point when I didn't answer the phone." I snapped

"I need to explain what you saw."

"There's no explaination needed. I know exactly what I saw, you screwing another woman."

"She was an old friend."

"I don't want to hear it." I yelled and then I took a deep breath to calm myself. "You really shouldn't have come here."

"What else should I have done? You weren't answering your phone."

"Sweetheart is everything okay?" I looked up and saw dad and both of my brothers standing in the doorway.

"Everything is fine." Alex said

"Catherine?" Connor asked and Alex spun around to face them.

"This is a private conversation that is none of your business." He spat and I saw the anger spread across the faces of all three men.

"She's my daughter…" Dad began

"My sister." Connor and Chase interjected

"And that makes it our business." Dad finished.

"Dad you guys can go. I'll be fine." They stared at me and then relented into the hall, not far away. "Alex it's over. Just go."

"Why did you come to my place yesterday in the middle of the day?"

"I needed to talk to you."

"And you couldn't have called first."

"I thought I was pregnant so I wasn't thinking clearly." His mouth dropped in shock.

"I thought you were on the pill." I nodded. "Then you must have been screwing around on me because I always used a condom. You have nerve being mad at me for screwing around when you were doing too you lying whore." Before I could react Dad was in my office in full vamp mode shoving Alex against the door.

"Apologize to her, right now." He growled

"I…I…what…are…you?"

"A very pissed off father. Now apologize." I had rounded my desk and I grabbed my dad's arm.

"Daddy let him go."

"He disrespected you."

"I can handle this. Now, please let him go." My dad slowly released his grip on Alex.

"What the hell is that? You think that thing is your father? You're nuts Catherine. You're fucking crazy." Now it was Chase that shoved Alex against the wall.

"Chase." I shouted.

"Hell no Cat. I'm going to kill this slimy bastard."

"Let him go." Instead of loosening his grip he tightened it. I really didn't want to deal with a murder so I grabbed Chase, yanked him off of Alex and tossed him across my office. "Let me deal with this piece of shit." I said glaring at all three men who quickly retreated. Once they were gone I turned around and faced Alex.

"I would suggest that you get the hell out of my office and my life because if you come back again I can't guarentee that you won't be my dad's lunchtime and when he's hungry I won't be able to stop him."

"You're dad, he's a vampire." I nodded. "They don't exsit." I snorted

"Would you like me to call my dad back in to show you that vampires are real?" I smiled when I saw the fear cross his face.

"Are you a vampire?"

"Of course not. I did inherit some of his vampire characteristics like super hearing, his strength and his temper as did my brothers." I said with a grin. "Now get out of my office and I never want to see your sorry ass again."

"But Cath…"

"Daddy." I called and he was in my office within a second, barring his vampire teeth. "Alex is ready to leave. Can you walk him out?" Daddy grabbed Alex's arm and he was escorted out of Angel Investigations by father and brothers. I sat on the couch and took a few breaths so I would stop shaking.

"You okay sis?" Connor asked when the three of them returned to my office.

"How could I not be when you three have my back?" I said with a smile.

"Always Cat." I was yanked to my feet and pulled into the strong, safe embrace of the three men that loved me and would never hurt me.

**_Hope you liked it. I like send me one with your thoughts. _**


	9. Chapter 9

**I own none of the characters of Angel**

_**Cordy's POV**_

"If you have any problems with the gowns, please call us Ms. Angel."

"I'm sure that there won't be any problems." I told them.

"Good luck tomorrow."

"Thanks." I grabbed the two garment bags and headed for my car. I had just hung the bags up in my car when I heard my name being called. At first I thought it was another random fan of mine but the voice sounded vaguely familiar. I turned around and came face to face with a very unpleasant memory from my past.

"Cordelia, it's been a long time."

"The last time I saw you, you were trying to steal my husband away from me."

""Do you have time to grab a cup of coffee? I really would like to talk with you."

"There is a coffee shop two blocks north. I'll meet you there. "

"Thanks." I waited until she was in her car, driving away before I pulled out my phone and called Angel.

"Hi sweetheart." He greeted

"Did you know she was in town?" I asked.

"Did I know who was in town?"

"Buffy, did you know Buffy was here in town?"

"Buffy who?"

"How many damn Buffy's do you know?" I snapped.

"Cor, I didn't know that she was here. I haven't seen her in years. You have to believe me." He really did sound surprised so I believed him. I turned off my bitchy tone of voice and turned on my loving wife tone.

"I believe you sweetheart."

"What is she doing here?"

"I'm not sure. I'm on my way to have coffee with her so I'm sure that I'll find out."

"You and Buffy having coffee? I never thought I'd see that happening." He chuckled.

"I'm older and more mature now."

"Older definitely but…" I could tell he was grinning.

"So help me God, if you finish that sentence I will not sleep with you for an entire month." I threatened.

"I love you."

"That's what I thought." I responded smugly. "I love you too. I'll call you when we're done with coffee."

"I hope that call doesn't come from jail."

"Bite me Angel." He laughed and hung up the phone. I climbed into my car and arrived at the coffee shop in two minutes.

"I thought you changed your mind." She said as I sat across from her.

"I had a phone call to make."

"He doesn't know I'm here. I haven't seen or spoken to him in almost twenty years."

"Yeah that's what he said." The waitress came over and took our orders. "So what brings you here to LA?"

"Spike and I came to see my sister."

"You're still with Spike?"

"Since he and Angel saved me from Carlo."

"Are you guys happy?"

"Very. Are you and Angel happy?"

"Extremely."

"I'm glad that I ran into you. I know it's been twenty years and long overdue but I am very sorry for what I did to you."

"Why?"

"I was young and stupid. Spike had just broke up with me. I was hurting and I thought that Angel was the only one who could stop the hurt. I knew from our phone calls that he was really in love with and committed to you but I didn't care. I wanted to feel loved and cared for again and I thought that Angel could give that to me."

"Did he give it to you?" I had to know.

"No Cordy he didn't. Even when he kissed me back, it wasn't like it used to be. There was no love in the kiss. It was just mechanical. He was and still is in love with you, something he told me over and over. I hate that I caused you guys to split up."

"You weren't entirely to blame. He kept the phone calls and visits from me."

"But still you never would have broken up had it not been for me. I should have never kissed him."

"No you shouldn't have and he shouldn't have kissed you back but it's in the past. None of that matters anymore. Angel and I have been happily married for nineteen years. We have two wonderful children and that's all that matters."

"Thank you Cordelia." I nodded. "So two kids?"

"You remember Catherine?" She nodded. "She is twenty two now and our son Chase is nineteen. Any kids of your own?"

"One boy, Jack. He is sixteen."

"I would like to meet him."

"I wish you could. He and Spike are having some father son bonding time."

"Why don't you guys come over to the hotel for dinner? I'll go all out and order some Chinese and you can see everyone again and I'll make sure that the kids are there."

"You guys are still at the hotel?" I nodded.

"I'm no longer there but Angel Investigations has really grown. Catherine and Chase have followed in their father's footsteps and are now working there and they have ten full time slayers on staff."

"I would like that."

**_Angel's POV_**

I walked into my office and saw my beautiful wife sitting cross-legged on the corner of my desk. I smiled at her, walked over, lifted her up into my arms and kissed her deeply. Even after all these years, it never got old kissing her. When she needed to breathe we reluctantly broke the kiss.

"Hello gorgeous." I carried her around my desk to my chair and I sat down placing her on my lap.

"Hey handsome."

"Well you're not in jail. Did you kill her and hide the body?"

"No of course not. She apologized and I invited her, Spike and Jack over here for dinner so they can see and meet everyone." Did I just hear what I think I heard?

"You invited who over for dinner and who the hell is Jack?"

"You heard me."

"Are you sure about this?"

"What happened with you and Buffy happened a long time ago. I'm over it. I know exactly where I stand in your life. I know that you love me."

"Damn straight I do." Placing my hand on the back of her neck I pulled her to me and kissed her again.

"This is a place of business for crying out loud." Cordy and I pulled apart at the sound of our son' s voice. "Do you see why I had to get my own place?" Cordy giggled.

"Trying growing up in the room next door." Catherine quipped and I suddenly felt very embarrassed.

"What do you two want?" I snapped while my wife just giggled.

"I heard that mom was here and I wanted to say hi." Chase answered.

"I heard that mom was here and I wanted to see if she got my dress." Catherine answered.

"Oh I did." Cordy jumped out of my lap and pulled a garment bag off of the couch. "I have it right here."

"Can I try it on?"

"Come on." I watched as my girls walked out of my office.

Tomorrow night was a televised awards ceremony for soap opera's and talk shows. Cordy has been nominated for best supporting actress. After a major argument it was decided that Chase would be her date and Catherine and I would go together. Cordy obviously wanted me to be her date but because I don't age I look much younger than she does and I don't want the press giving her a hard time and ruining her reputation by dating a younger man. She said she didn't care what other people said about her but I did and I wasn't going to let anyone hurt her so she finally relented and agreed to let Chase be her date.

"Dad you should really be her date." Chase told me.

"I can't son. It would end up hurting her."

"Tell people that you're her son."

"And what would happen if I kissed her and it was caught on camera. I'm not risking it."

"I know that she wishes you would change your mind."

"I won't."

"I know." Chase said softly.

Two hours later everyone was in the lobby awaiting our guests per Cordelia's instructions. Catherine and Chase had other plans that had to be changed because they couldn't say no to their mother. Since both kids knew about my past indiscretion with Buffy, Cordy told them not to bring it up because it was all in the past and everyone had moved on.

"Are we late?" I looked up when I heard Buffy's voice. Besides looking older she hadn't changed a bit. My eyes traveled over to her two companions. One was a teenage boy that must be her son because he looked just like her. It was her other companion that had my attention. I swore that it was Spike but he wasn't the same. He was older and the only way that he could age was if he was…No it couldn't be. He could not be human.

"Buffy, this is our daughter Catherine and our son Chase." Cordy said since I was frozen, staring at Spike.

"Catherine we met a very long time ago. You were still a baby. You have grown into a beautiful young woman. You look just like your mother."

"Thank you."

"Chase you are the spitting image of your dad. It's very nice to meet you."

"You too."

"Angel it's good to see you again." Buffy was suddenly standing in front of me.

"Hi Buffy."

"I'd like you to meet my son, Jack. Jack this an Angel, an old friend of your father and mine."

"Nice to meet you sir."

"The kid's polite. Obviously nothing like his old man." I said.

"I heard that you pounce." Spike said walking over to us.

"Jack why don't you grab something to eat." He nodded and walked away.

"The last time I saw you, you were a vampire." I said to Spike once his son was out of earshot.

"The last time I saw you, you were a pile a dust." I felt Cordy stiffen beside me and I saw my kids turn their attention to us.

"How did this happen?"

"Do you remember when we took down the big bad otherwise known as Wolfram and Hart?" He may be human now but he was still an ass.

"Of course I remember." I snapped

"Well since we stopped the biggest of all apocalypse's The Powers wanted to reward someone and since you were a pile of dust that left me."

"You hardly did anything. Why the hell would you be granted humanity?"

"There was still a prophecy that needed to be filled and since you were dead and I was the only vampire with a soul left who didn't sign over my humanity I became a real boy." This was wrong. This was completely wrong.

"I…I…have…leave…" I felt Cordy grab my arm as I started to walk away but I easily shrugged her hand away.

"Angel." She yelled as I stormed out of the hotel. I knew that there was going to be hell to pay later but I couldn't be around Spike. It pissed me off too much. I've saved the world more times then that asshole, I sacrificed my life, my only chance of humanity and he gets what I've wanted. He gets to be human. He gets to grow old with the woman he loves. He won't be cursed to wonder the earth alone when everyone he loves dies like I will be. The longer I walked the streets and thought about human Spike the angrier I got. I had to kill something before I lost my mind so I headed towards the pier where I knew there always a nest or two around that I could destroy.

**_Cordy's POV_**

The party quickly died down after Angel stormed out like an overgrown child during a temper tantrum and I was furious with him. Everyone but Spike seemed to know why Angel got so mad. After numerous apologies Buffy, Spike and Jack finally took off.

"Do you want Chase and I to go after him Cordy?" Connor asked me.

"No sweetheart. Your dad needs to blow off some steam. He's probably slaughtering some poor defenseless vampires."

"Dad didn't know that Spike was human?" Catherine asked me.

"No, I never told him."

"Why not? You knew that he would freak when he found out." Chase said.

"Actually I didn't think that he would freak Chase. I figured that he had accepted the fact that he would never become human."

"He has. He just hasn't accepted the fact that Spike got what was rightfully his." Connor surmised.

"He signed away his chance to become human. He knew that he would never be able to become human."

"He did that to save the world." Connor shouted. "I was there that night. Spike didn't do anything spectacular that warranted him becoming human. Dad died for God's sake. It should have been him."

"Again, your father knew what he was loosing when he signed his name in blood on that damn prophecy. It's not about not becoming human that has him pissed off Connor. It's the fact that it was Spike that was turned human. If it were any other vampire in the world that was turned human your dad would have no problem. He's just pissed off because it was Spike."

"It shouldn't have been Spike." Chase spoke up.

"I am done fighting with you guys about this." I shouted. "Listen, this is the last time that I'll will ever say this. Spike became a good vampire when he got his soul. He saved the world a few times. He deserved to become human. Granted, I wish that it was your dad that got to become human but it wasn't and I've learned to accept it. Maybe you guys should too." I grabbed my purse and left the hotel.

--

It was after two in the morning when I heard his keys turning in the lock. Connor, Chase and Catherine had all called and apologized throughout the evening so at least they finally understood where I was coming from. Now I had to make Angel understand.

"Did you have fun?" I asked when he walked into the room.

"Don't start Cor."

"You started it when you stormed out baby."

"How long have you known?"

"You need to be more specific. I know a lot of things."

"Cordelia." He warned. He only uses my real name when he's pissed at me or if we are making love.

"I found out after you died." I mumbled.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Hmm let's see. You were dead and when you came back our children were about to be killed so I had a few things on my mind, Spike turning human was not one of them."

"What about after we saved them? You could have told me then."

"I honestly didn't think about it. You being back was the only thing that I was thinking of. What's the big deal anyway?"

"I just should have known. That's all."

"Why? It's not like you could have changed it."

"It shouldn't have been him."

"What other vampire with a soul should it have been?" I smarted and the glare he sent me caused me to shrink back in my spot on the couch. He could be very scary when he wanted to be.

"God Dammit Cordelia. Spike has everything that I wanted. He can grow old with the woman he loves and I can't."

"Who cares if you don't any older? We are together and you're alive. That's all that matters."

"You should care. Can't you see that my non aging has already affected our relationship?"

"You think that I'm too old for you?" I whispered.

"Of course not. I will always be older than you. I just don't look it. I look the same age as Chase for God's sake. I'm your husband and I look young enough to be your son. I can't even support you tomorrow night at your awards ceremony because people will talk shit about you."

"You can still support me. I don't care what people say."

"Their words will hurt you. They will say awful things about you that will hurt you and I don't want you too be hurt."

"Words can't hurt me, especially the words of strangers."

"What happens in a couple years you have another ceremony and pictures are pulled form this one and people realize that I haven't changed a bit?"

"Then I'll quit. I'd rather have you supporting me tomorrow then have my job."

"It's not just about tomorrow."

"What is it about then Angel? Please talk to me." He sat next to me on the couch but didn't touch me. He stared straight ahead. "Angel."

"You're going to die one day Cor." He told me softly. "You're going to die, Connor, Ciara, Chase, Catherine, their kids, all of you are going to die."

"It's a part of life sweetheart."

"Not my life. My entire family will be gone and I'll be stuck here forever, alone until I do manage to die and then I'll be in hell, away from you and our kids for eternity." I saw his body begin to shake with sobs. I slid over next to him, wrapped my arms around him and held him until he calmed down.

"Angel I don't know what to say because what you say is true, At one point everyone you love will die but as long as our kids, their kids, and their kids and their kids and so on keep reproducing there will always be a part of you and I and our love left on this earth for you to love."

"But it won't be the same. It won't be you." I cupped his face with my palm, forcing him to look at me.

"One day I'm going to die. That's something that we can't stop from happening no matter how hard you try. So until that happens we can live life to the fullest. We can love each other with everything that we have. We can be happy until I take my very last breath."

"We can do that." He whispered thickly through tear filled eyes. He gently picked me up, carried me to our room and he made love to me for hours, whispering words of love and devotion and making me very happy in the process. I finally drifted off to sleep as the sun rose; wrapped safely in arms of the man I loved.

**_Angel's POV_**

"I hate these god damned things." I mumbled pulling at my bow tie. "I feel like I'm going to choke."

"Not happening since you don't breathe." Chase smirked. Before I could toss him across the room Catherine walked out of the bedroom. "Wow." Chase gasped.

"Catherine you look beautiful." I told my daughter.

"If you think that I look good you should see mom. She looks hot". As soon as those words were out of Catherine's mouth Cordy stepped into the room. "See wasn't I right?"

"Mom this may be totally inappropriate but Cat is right. You look totally hot."

"Slightly inappropriate yes so don't let it happen again." She said with a grin.

"Yes ma'am." I know that she appreciated Chase's comments but she was staring at me, with anxious eyes waiting for my opinion but she looked so beautiful that I was having trouble forming a coherent thought. She was wearing a simple royal blue strapless dress that was tight around her bust and then hung loosely yet perfectly around her curves. I walked over and took her hands in mine.

"You are absolutely stunning. I have never seen anything more beautiful before." Her huge smile crossed her face and I gently kissed her lips. "So beautiful." I whispered as I pulled away.

"Dammit. You're making me cry." She sniffed as she looked around the room. "Thanks for going with me and supporting me and my career." She told us, wrapping her arms around the three of us, holding us tightly until the limo arrived.

--

"Okay, this is it." Cordy said as she stepped out of the limo.

"Good luck mom." Catherine said when she hugged her mother.

"Thanks sweetheart."

"Knock 'em dead baby." I told her as I hugged her tightly.

"Ready mom?" Chase asked linking their arms together.

"Let's do it." Catherine and I stood back and watched them walk away.

"Chase, Cordy wait." I called when they were about a foot away from us. They froze and I jogged over to them. "Chase I know that you wanted to be your mom's date but since I am married to her it's my job and privilege to be her date tonight." I looked at my wife. "That is, if it's okay with you."

"It's more than okay Angel." This time I linked arms with Cordy and I proudly escorted my wife down the red carpet.

Three hours later I sat proudly in the audience as the love of my life stood on the stage accepting her award for best supporting actress.

"I didn't prepare a speech because I didn't expect to win. First of all thank you to the producers, directors, writers, cast and crew of Desire's Run, without you I wouldn't have a job or be standing up here on this stage. Thank you for making Desire's run a great soap opera and a great place to work. Thank you to my fans, without you I would be without a job. Thank you for your support. Catherine, Chase, my babies. I love you guys so much and I'm so lucky to be your mom and finally, thank you to my amazing husband. Thank you for loving and supporting me in all that I do. I wouldn't be the woman that I am without you. I love you sweetheart."

As I sat in the audience clapping with the rest of the auditorium I was ready to burst with pride. She finally did it. She proved all of the people wrong who told her she wasn't good enough that she was in fact good enough, something that I had always known, with the exception of that one horrible play that Wes and I went too years ago, That was really bad but she never gave up, she took classes and in the end she kicked ass. I quickly stood when she returned to her seat and wrapped my arms around her.

"I'm so proud of you Cordelia Angel."

"I'm glad that you got your head out of your ass and decided to be my date. It wouldn't have been the same without you here beside me." She told me as we took our seats.

"Me too. I would have never forgiven myself if I wouldn't have been here." She reached for my hand and squeezed it.

"I love you Angel."

"I love you too Cordy. More than you'll ever know."

**A review would be much appreciated. **


	10. Chapter 10

**I own none of the characters of Angel**

_**Catherine's POV**_

"Catherine. Lobby. Now." My father's voice rang through my intercom on my office phone. Sometimes when we are at work and something big is about to go down he forgets how to be polite. Very seldom do I hear please or thank you. I made a mental note to talk to him about that.

"What's going on?" I asked walking into the lobby.

"I'm waiting on your brother." I looked around and saw that Uncle Wes, Aunt Fred, Chase and a bunch of slayers were all waiting so I figured that we were waiting on Connor.

"Where is he?" Chase asked

"On his way." Dad snapped. I knew whatever was going down was big because that was the only time that he ever snapped at my brothers or me at work. We all stood around in awkward silence until Connor arrived.

"Cordy just called me and there is a huge vampire nest at the abandoned Braten warehouse. She said she saw at least fifty vamps feeding on some college age kids. We need to move. We don't have much time to save them." We nodded and quickly grabbed our weapons.

As always the drive over was silent so we could concentrate on the job ahead. Chase, Connor and I always rode with dad and Uncle Wes and Aunt Fred always rode together with the slayers. Thanks to dad's crazy driving we quickly arrived at the warehouse.

"Be careful. I love you guys." Dad always said the same thing before we went in to battle. Even though he would never admit it, we all knew that he always worried about us whenever we fought. When Chase and I first started fighting he was practically useless because he was too busy being worried about us to do his job. The more we fought the more he relaxed but he still won't let us fight without him being present. It drove Chase crazy but I kinda liked having him around.

"Love you too." We all answered together.

Stakes and weapons in hand we all ran into the warehouse ready to fight. After all the vampires and demons that we have killed over the years, I was still amazed that these idiots continued to come to LA. The smarter vampires quickly scattered when we entered and the dumb ones stayed and tried to finish eating. We fought like a well-oiled machine. We had each other's back and we staked the hell out of these vampires.

I had just pulled myself off of the floor and staked the bastard that threw me there when I saw in the corner of the room a normal human guy trying desperately to escape the grip of a vampire. He was doing a pretty good job but I knew he wouldn't last. By the time I got to the corner the vampire just sunk his teeth into the poor guy's neck. I drew my hand back that held my stake but before I could plunge it into his heart he turned around, hit me in the face and sent me flying across the room. I landed with a hard thud against the wall and slid to the floor.

"Ow." I groaned as I stood back up.

"Catherine." Dad yelled.

"I'm fine." I responded as I returned, very pissed off, to that vampire.

"You like it rough little girl?" He sneered.

"I'll show you rough bastard." I spat. He reached out, grabbed my hand that had the stake with one of his hands and he placed his remaining hand around my neck. Thankfully, he was to dumb to realize that I still had a free hand so I was able to reach into my back pocket, grab my spare stake and plunge it into his chest without him knowing. As he turned to dust he lost his grip and I went crashing to the floor, again.

"Son of a bitch." I muttered; crawling over to the man I saved. I was in a lot of pain. "Are you okay?" I asked. He nodded. He was holding his neck wound but I could see the blood seeping through his fingers. I ripped part of his shirt off, removed his hand and placed the shirt there instead. "You need to keep pressure on this okay?" He nodded at me; his eyes were wide with fear. "The paramedics are on the way."

"Who are you?" He whispered hoarsely

"I'm Catherine."

"Catherine what?"

"Catherine Angel."

"Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me." I told his sweetly. "It's my job."

"You're job?" I knew that I should probably help with the last few vampires but I really didn't want to leave him. I glanced around and saw that everything seemed to be under control.

"My father runs Angel Investigations. We help people in unusual situations." I said nonchalantly

"I think this definitely qualifies as an unusual circumstance. What were those men?"

"They were vampires."

"I kinda figured that one out when I saw the teeth and he bit me." He said with a smile.

"Catherine are you okay?" Dad said rushing over to me, still in vamp mode. I saw the guy on the floor flinch when he saw my vampire father. I sent dad a look and he quickly lost his vampire features.

"Dad I'm fine." I said through gritted teeth as he pulled me to my feet. "But he needs help. His wound is deep."

"The paramedics just arrived. You need to be checked out."

"I told you I'm fine. Probably just a couple of broken ribs. No big deal."

"No big deal? Broken ribs are a big deal Come on." Dad pulled me away as the paramedics came over to the guy that I saved. He sent me a small wave, as I was being drug over to another paramedic

Since I refused to go the hospital to be checked out dad took me to the next best place. He took me home or to my old home where mom could take care of me even though I insisted that I was perfectly capable of taking care of myself.

"Oh my God sweetheart." Mom reached out and gently touched my bruised neck.

"I'm fine mom."

"No she's not." Dad interjected. "She has some broken ribs and look at her neck. That bastard grabbed her around the neck."

"But who is dust?" I said proudly and mom giggled.

"Angel why don't you go back to work and let me take care of Catherine."

"No they can handle it without me. I'm staying."

"If you stay here you're just going to drive us crazy." They stood there staring each other down. Both of my parents were extremely stubborn but I knew that he would back down before mom would as he always did. He tried to act stubborn but we all knew mom could make him do whatever she wanted.

"Fine. I'll go back to work but I swear to God, if she gets worse…"

"I won't dad." He hesitated, looking at me and my mom until she shot him a glare." I'm going." He leaned forward and kissed her and then he walked over and hugged and kissed me.

"Oww. Ribs dad." I complained.

"I'm sorry honey. If you need anything call me."

"I will." He slowly walked out of the house. "Thank God." I sighed when he was finally gone.

"He just worries about you Catherine."

"I know but it's annoying." Mom laughed.

"Tell me about it." She helped me upstairs because I was in a little more pain then I was prepared to admit to anyone. She taped up my ribs for me, gave me a nice pain pill that she had gotten from Uncle Wes and helped me into my old bed. I was down for the count twenty minutes later.

I managed to stay at my parent's house for two days until my dad's constant hovering got the best of me. We argued for an hour when I told him I was going home. He told me that I couldn't take care of myself and I told him to open his eyes and realize that I'm an adult perfectly capable of taking care of myself. After we exhausted ourselves yelling at each other, he accepted the fact that I was leaving and he grudgingly took me home, complaining the entire time.

Since I was half vampire, a fourth demon and a fourth human I didn't heal as quickly as my dad did but I healed faster then a normal human. After two days at my parent's and two days at home I was ready to return to work. The bruise on my neck was only slightly visible and I could move around normally without any pain from my ribs. It was the sudden movements that caused me pain so I knew that there were would be no fighting in my future for a while.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Dad asked me. Trying to avoid another argument I neglected to tell him that I was returning to work.

"What does it look like?"

"Don't get smart with me young lady. I am your boss."

"Then act like it."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're acting like a concerned father, not an employer."

"Fine then as your boss, I didn't release you to come back to work."

"I didn't know I needed your permission." I snapped.

"You can't work Catherine. You haven't healed."

"How do you know that? You haven't even asked me how I'm feeling. The only time my ribs hurt are if I make a sudden movement so I know that I won't be fighting for awhile but I perfectly capable of helping with research."

"I don't know."

"Look dad, I know you worry but this over-protective shit is getting really old. You let everyone else work in worse condition than I am in. You have to quit babying me. I am a grown woman that knows my limits. I know when I need to take time off to heal and I know when I'm ready to go back to work. I love my job, I love what we do but if you continue to treat me like a child then I don't know if I can continue to work here with you."

"What do you want from me Catherine?"

"I want you to treat me like you treat everyone else. I want you to respect me because of the job that I do, not because I'm your daughter." He sighed.

"Dammit Catherine, I'm always going to worry about you because I'm your dad. It's my job. I'm always going to worry more about you then normal because you have a very dangerous job."

"Worry is fine dad. I can live with a little worry. It's the constant worry, nagging and treating me like I'm ten years old again that drives me nuts."

"I'll work on it okay?" I raised my eyebrows. "I'll work really hard."

"That's all I'm asking."

"And for the record, I don't respect you just because you're my daughter. I respect you because you do a hell of a good job and you've earned that respect. Last week, even though you were hurt you kicked straight ass and I respect that Cath. I really do."

"Thanks boss." He rolled his eyes. "Now if you don't mind I would like to get back to work please."

"Okay. Yell if you need anything and if you get tired or anything just go on home."

"Dad." I warned.

"Sorry, sit in here and be miserable in pain if that's what you want."

"Thanks. I will." I grinned as he meekly retreated out of my office. He knew I was right and now maybe he would let me be a grown up.

I was getting ready to leave for the day when Ciara buzzed my office. Even after all these years she still ran the front office.

"Hey sweetie."

"Please don't ask me again. I'm fine."

"Actually, there is a young man here to see you."

"Who is it?"

"He said his name is David Alexander." I ran the name through my mind but it wasn't ringing any bells.

"Okay, I guess you can send him up."

"Okay, hang on a sec." She covered the mouthpiece and I heard her muffled reply. "He's on his way up. He is really cute and he has flowers."

"Flowers?"

"Oh yeah." I could hear her grinning through the phone.

"Don't tell them." She knew I was referring to my dad and brothers.

"You're secret is safe with me and besides, they all left already so I couldn't tell them even if I wanted to."

"Goodbye Ce." Just when I hung up the phone when I saw him walk into my office. I was so surprised to see the guy that I had saved from the vampire that I just sat there and stared at him until he spoke.

"Can I come in?" I shook my head, bringing me back to reality.

"Yeah, of course. I'm sorry. Please come in." I held out my hand to shake his. "I'm Catherine." He smiled and returned the handshake gesture. I observed that he had a strong handshake and a beautiful smile.

"I remember. I'm David." He awkwardly adjusted the flowers in his hands and handed the vase of roses to me.

"These are for you. Surprisingly the florist doesn't carry thanks for saving my life bouquets so I talked to my friend who said that roses are a woman's favorite flower so that's what I went with. I hope you like them." Roses are my least favorite flowers but there was no way I was going to tell him that.

"They're beautiful. Thank you."

"You hate them don't you?"

"No I don't hate them." I said lamely, wishing I was a good liar.

"Please tell me."

"Roses aren't my favorite but they are beautiful."

"I am so sorry." He said while I placed the vase on my desk.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. It's the thought that counts. I've never gotten flowers before for saving someone's life." I actually had never gotten flowers from any guy before except from my dad on a couple of significant birthdays but I wasn't going to admit how pathetic that I was.

"What are your favorite flowers?"

"Lavender Tulips." I told him shyly.

"I'll have to remember that." He flashed his gorgeous smile at me. "I've been worried about you because you really got hurt that night. Are you okay?"

"I'm great. Just a few broken ribs." He looked devastated. "Don't worry. I'm totally fine."

"I…uhhh…was…umm…would you like to grab some dinner with me?" My heart skipped a beat and I quickly answered him.

"I would like that a lot." His whole face lit up with happiness when he heard my answer, probably mirroring my own.

--

Two hours later we were sitting in a restaurant relaxing and enjoying our after dinner coffee. I was nervous that there was going to be a lot of awkward silence but there wasn't any. Conversation flowed very easily. I found that he was easy to talk to and he kind of reminded me of my dad. He was tall with dark hair and features like him and even his personality somewhat resembled that of my dad. My cell phone rudely interrupted us. As soon as I saw that it was my mom I remembered that Chase, Ali and I were supposed to be there for dinner.

"I'm sorry mom. I forgot." I said answering my phone.

"We'll wait for you. How soon can you be here?"

"I can't make it. Something came up."

"Something good or something bad?"

"Good."

"I'll cover for you and you better call me in the morning with details."

"Yes ma'am."

"Love you sweetheart."

"I know. I love you too." I closed my phone and looked at my date. "I'm sorry."

"Did you already have plans?"

"I was supposed to go to my parents and have dinner tonight with them, my brother and his girlfriend."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to keep you away from your family."

"It's not a big deal. Mom isn't a big cook so she probably just ordered a pizza and I see my dad and brother every day at work so I'm really not missing much."

"Your family sounds close."

"We are very close."

"So I'm curious, how does your dad end up running a company that kills vampires?" I had to laugh.

"It's a crazy story unbelievable story. Are you sure that you want to hear it?"

"Before last week I never knew vampires even existed and since then I have done a lot of research and I found out some really crazy somewhat scary stuff so I think I can handle your story."

"Well you already discovered that my dad was vampire." He saw my dad in vamp mode at the warehouse.

"Which makes me question how do you exist because according to the information that I read, vampires can't have kids."

"You know, this may not be the best place to discuss this. Leggett Park is right across the street. Do you mind if we head over there to walk and talk?"

"That sounds perfect." He had already paid for our dinner so I grabbed my purse and we headed out the door and across the street to the park.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" I asked him.

"Bring it on."

"My dad was turned into a vampire in the 1700's." David's eyes widened in surprise. "Yep my dad is over three hundred years old so when I say old man I mean it. So the first one hundred and fifty years that he was a vampire he was the worst vampire ever recorded. One of his first kills was his parents and younger sister. He really was an evil bastard. Between him and his sire they viciously killed thousands of people and they loved every minute of it. Finally my dad killed the wrong person, he killed a gypsy. To make him pay, her family cursed him with a soul so he could feel guilt for all of his sins and the only way to remove that curse was to experience a moment of perfect happiness. He said when it first happened the memories of every person he killed came rushing back to him and he remembered all of their names, if he knew it to begin with, and he remembered in vivid detail how they screamed and begged for his life. He couldn't sleep because every time he closed his eyes he saw their faces. Whenever he was awake he heard their screams in his head. He was miserable with guilt. He wandered aimlessly for the next hundred or so years, never feeding on another human."

"What did he eat?"

"A lot of rats." David made a face. "He probably still would be wandering around if he didn't meet some demon who told him that it was his job to help and protect a vampire slayer. He didn't want any human interaction because he was afraid of temptation but he finally gave in and ended up falling in love with the slayer."

"He fell in love with the person that was supposed to kill him?"

"He sure did and with her he experienced that moment of perfect happiness and when that happened he became evil again and tried to kill everyone. One of the slayers friends was a witch and she was working on returning his soul but things got so bad that she had no choice but to send him to hell. A second before he was sent to hell he got his soul back but she didn't know it."

"That sucks."

"It did. For some reason, he never told me, he was sent back from hell and given a second chance. He and the slayer knew that they couldn't be together and they ended their relationship and he moved to L.A. to start over."

"Wow."

"Once he was in L.A. he met a demon named Doyle who received visions from The Powers That Be. These visions told him when someone was in trouble. He would pass them along to my dad and he would save people. One of the first people he saved was my mom."

"Kinda sound familiar huh?" David said smirking and my heart skipped a beat.

"Actually he knew my mom prior to saving her. She went to high school with the slayer that he was involved with. My mom moved out here to try and become an actress but she wasn't having much luck. She needed a job so she basically asked my dad for a job and Angel Investigations was born. Their tag line was "We help the helpless" and the company became my dad's way to atone for his past sins. They worked together until Doyle died trying to save the world. It was the first time since he reintegrated with humans that he lost someone close to him and he was ready to shut everyone out completely and it was hard on mom too because her and Doyle were getting close. My dad begged The Powers or their cronies to bring Doyle back to him but they wouldn't do it. Dad even tried to tell them that Doyle was his sole contact to The Powers and without him he couldn't do his job. They told him when one door closed another would open and that door was my mom. Right before Doyle died he kissed my mom and passed his visions off to her and let me tell you, she was not happy about it. The visions were so painful, she said that she felt like her head was going to explode but she stuck them out and she became a stronger woman because of that."

"Wow that's an incredible story." David told me.

"Oh I'm not even close to done." I have never opened up about my crazy family history before but telling David just felt right.

"Please, tell me more."

"I've already told you some crazy stuff and I it gets even crazier. I'm giving you a free pass to run screaming." I told him, hoping that he would hang around.

"I'm not going anywhere." He whispered softly, reaching over and grabbing my hand. The second that our hands connected I felt a tingle run through my body.

_**Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please review. Thanks**_


	11. Chapter 11

**I own none of the characters of Angel**

_**Catherine's POV**_

I spent the next hour telling David about my crazy family history including how Chase and I came to be, the potion, not the actual sex. I choose not to think about my parents having sex. I told him that I have a green skinned demon for an uncle, a brother who is just a few years younger then my mother and that she is half demon. I shared with him that my dad died for a year and then came back from hell to save our lives and I definitely had to give David credit because he didn't flinch ounce.

"Wow. That is the most incredible story that I have ever heard." He told me handing me the cotton candy that he just ordered for me.

"The scariest thing is that it's not a story. It's all true."

"Until a few days ago, monsters were something in dreams and stories and now I find out that they are real. Demons, hell dimensions, witches, and vampires. Wow."

"Does it bother you?" I asked him softly.

"What, the monsters?"

"No. My life. The fact that my father is a vampire, my mother is half demon and half human, the fact that I am freakishly strong, does that bother you?"

"No none of that bothers me. In fact, I think that makes you pretty damn special." He reached for my hand again and we continued to walk along the promenade.

"So what were you doing in that warehouse with those vampires anyway?" He sent me an embarrassed grin.

"A party. There were fliers all over campus. Said it was supposed to be the final blow out of the semester, the party to end all parties and it almost was.

"What are you majoring in?"

"I'm my last semester of nursing."

"Wow. That's impressive. There aren't many male nurses out there."

"I know. I thought about becoming a doctor but I'm really not smart enough and no amount of money is worth putting someone else's life in my hands. I'd much rather take the orders then give them."

"Do you know what kind of nursing you want to do?'

"Oncology."

"That's going to be hard, surrounded by death all of the time."

"It will be but I'm really drawn to oncology. I think that I can do some good."

"I think you can too." He squeezed my hand. "So since you know all about my family I think that it is only fair that I should know about yours."

"Not much to tell. It's just my dad and me."

"May I ask about your mom?"

"She died when I was sixteen."

"Oh God David. I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. It happened a long time ago." He told me softly.

"Would you tell me about her?"

"She was great. She was the best mother that anyone could ask for. From what you told me, she sounds a lot like your mom. She really loved me. When you were telling me about how your dad got sent back after he died, I wished that could have happened with my mom."

"How did she die?"

"A car accident. I had just gotten my license and we were heading home. Some dumbass ran a red light and T-boned right into the passenger side of my car. She was killed on impact and I walked away with a broken leg."

"How horrible." He shrugged his shoulders. "It's been a long time. I would like to say that I'm over it but I don't think that it's something that you can ever get over. It's just gotten easier."

"I'm sorry you had to go through that. "

"You had to go through it too."

"Yeah I did. I just remember how empty my life was without my dad. I remember the morning after I found mom curled up on the floor in a fetal position. She loved him so much that his death practically destroyed her. She wouldn't speak to anyone for days not until The Powers sent him back to tell her to get her ass back in gear and then she came back and during that we all grew really close, a closeness that still remains today."

"Yeah well the opposite happened when my mom died. He blamed me, said that I shouldn't of been driving. He told me that it should have been me, that he wished it was me instead of her. He loved my mom. His entire life revolved around her. He never wanted kids but because she did here I am. He never really was there for me but mom made up for his absence. She was the best mom and when she died dad pretty much died along with her. He started drinking a lot and I was pretty much on my own. He was hardly ever home and when he was he was passed out. His day was get up, go to the bar, possibly come home or crash in his car and then he did the same exact thing the next day, over and over."

"Didn't he work?"

"No he blew mom's life insurance money on his drinking. That money was supposed to help pay for my college so I ended up getting loans and working my ass off to pay for college."

"Where is your dad?"

"Hell if I know. I haven't seen him since I turned 18. The second I graduated from high school I got my own place and I haven't been back."

"He doesn't know what he's missing." We had ended up back in the parking lot at the restaurant.

"Thanks Catherine."

"Your welcome." We stood by my car staring and smiling at each other.

"I had a really nice time Cat wait can I call you Cat?"

"You can call me Cat. I had a really nice time. Even though we just met, I feel like I've known you forever."

"I feel the same way." He placed his hand on my cheek. "I would really like to kiss you right now."

"I would really like for you to kiss me right now." I couldn't believe that I just said those words. I never talk like that. David grinned and slowly leaned forward. When his lips met mine it slow and hesitant. Eventually it picked up in intensity and became an open mouth kiss but no tongue, which I was thankful for. I hated when guys shoved their tongue halfway down my throat on a first kiss. This kiss was sweet and gentle, by far the best kiss that I had ever received and I know that I would remember this kiss forever.

"Can I see you again tomorrow?" He asked breathlessly when we broke apart.

"I would like that."

"How about 4?"

"Sounds good. What will we do?"

"It's a surprise. Dress comfortably in jeans."

"I suppose that you would like my address?"

"And possibly a phone number?" Grinning I reached into my purse, pulled out a piece of paper and scribbled down my address and phone number. I handed it to him with a shaking hand. He took the paper and my hand and kissed me again. "Thank you for a wonderful night." He opened my door and I slipped inside. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Can't wait."

**_Cordy's POV_**

"Come on Cor, I'm trying to sleep." Angel complained. I was trying to clean our bathroom and I may not have been as quiet as I could have been. I was lonely and I wanted him to wake up and keep me company.

"Are you ever planning on getting your ass out of bed?"

"Dammit Cordelia." He snapped rolling over on his stomach. "I was out most of the damn night killing vamps while your pretty ass got to stay home and sleep. Give me a few more hours of peace and I'll get up."

"Fine" I mumbled. I slowly retreated from our bedroom. I spent the next hour cleaning the house. When that was done I decided for a change I would cook something for dinner. I opened the fridge and found it pretty empty. I checked the freezer and obtained the same result. Since the kids moved out and Angel doesn't eat I very rarely cook for myself but I was bored today and wanted to cook. Since my options were limited I killed some more time by going to the grocery store and picked up the fixings for Lasagna. I was pleasantly surprised to find Catherine waiting for me in the living room when I returned.

"Hi sweetheart."

"Hey mom. Let me help you with that." She grabbed one of my bags and headed to the kitchen to unload it for me. "In the mood to cook?" She quipped and I stuck my tongue out at her. My cooking or lack there of was the long running joke in my family. "Where's dad?"

"Sleeping."

"Seriously? It's noon."

"He was out most of the night." I watched her bustle happily around the kitchen. "What's up with the giant smile that's plastered over your face? Does it have anything to do with why you stood us up for dinner?" She nodded. I opened the fridge pulled out a couple of cans of pop, then I pulled out a pint of ice cream and two spoons and we sat at the table. "Talk to me."

"I met a guy." She giggled.

"Details girl. Give your mom details."

"He was one of the guys that I saved at the warehouse last week. He showed up at the office yesterday with roses and a card that thanked me for saving his life."

"You hate roses." She nodded in agreement.

"I tried to hide the fact but he figured it out. His name is David and he invited me to dinner and I was so excited that I totally forgot that we had plans. Oh my God, I sound so desperate and pathetic."

"No you don't. It's totally acceptable to be excited about the prospect of a new relationship."

"We talked forever. I told him everything about me, our family and he didn't run screaming for the door."

"Are you sure that was the right thing to do sweetie?" I didn't want her heart to get broken when he realized that her life was too much for him.

"He already knew that daddy is a vampire. He figured that out when we saved them from the vampires. He wanted to know everything. We spent hours talking. He is a really great guy."

"I'm so happy for you." I told my daughter.

"He kissed me." I raised my eyebrows. "It was the sweetest kiss I've ever gotten. We're going out again tonight."

"Where is he taking you?"

"I don't know. He said it's a surprise. All I know is that I supposed to be ready at 4 and wear comfy clothes. I'm so excited." I reached across the table for her hand.

"Be careful sweetheart. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I know mom and I promise to be careful but I'm telling you there is something special about him. "

"Go slow baby girl."

"I will mom."

We talked for a few more minutes until Angel stumbled into the kitchen looking sleepy. He walked over and kissed Catherine on the head.

"Hi honey."

"Hi daddy." He walked over to the fridge and grabbed some blood.

"What about me? Where is my kiss?"

"You lost it when you rudely woke me up."

"Whatever."

"Mom's going to attempt to cook tonight." Catherine quipped with grin.

"Thank God I don't eat food."

"My cooking is not that bad." I protested.

"Mom you burnt a frozen pizza to a crisp."

"And that cake that you baked, burnt on the edges and gooey in the middle. Who does that?" Angel added.

"You have no room to talk Mr. I don't eat, I only drink blood."

"I'm a better cook then you."

"Okay, I'm sensing a fight. Time for me to go." Catherine spoke up.

"I don't think so young lady." I said but she ignored me. "Love you mommy." She kissed my cheek. "I'll call you later."

"You better." I smiled at her until she left the house and then I whipped my head around, wiped the smile off of my face and glared at my husband.

"What the hell is that look for?"

"I'm your wife, you are supposed to defend me, not bring me down."

"We were only joking babe."

"I may not be the best cook but I do try." I said sadly, trying to make him feel guilty. I snuck a peek out of the corner of my eye and saw that it was working. He walked over to me and wrapped his arms around my waist but I stood there stiffly, not giving an inch.

"I know you try and that's what counts. I'll eat whatever you cook for dinner tonight sweetheart." The only time he ever really ate food was if we went out to dinner. He must really feel guilty. I turned around to face him.

"Really?"

"Really." He told me grinning. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed his passionately. I pulled myself up and wrapped my legs around his waist. "Make up sex?" He asked with a grin when I pulled my lips away from his for a breath.

"Make up sex." As he carried me to our bedroom I removed my shirt and bra.

"You're killing me woman." He groaned as we collapsed on the bed.

"Well if you're not up to it…" I said slyly glancing at his pants where I could see his erection straining against his pants.

"Oh I'm up for it." He quickly shucked his clothes from his body and practically ripped my jeans and underwear from mine and then he showed me how capable he was.

**_Catherine's POV_**

I stood in the mirror and checked my reflection from the front and from the back. I had on jeans and a purple top that was tight around my breasts and looser around my stomach. I couldn't decide if I was showing too much cleavage. I inherited my mother's larger breasts and I always seemed to be showing cleavage. I didn't want to come off as a whore or desperate to get laid. My decision was made when there was a knock on my door. I glanced at the clock and saw that he was five minutes earlier. Giving myself one last look I headed for the door.

"Sorry to keep you…what the hell are you doing here?" I opened the door expecting to see David but instead I was met with Chase and Ali.

"We were in the neighborhood and decided to stop by. Since you blew us off at dinner last night I was worried about you. Can I come in?" Before I could answer he pushed his way into my apartment, dragging Ali with him. She sent me an apologetic glance.

"Bullshit Chase. In the neighborhood my ass. You live in the same damn building." He lived on the sixth floor and I was on the eighteenth. I was fine with him moving in to my building, until this moment. "I'm fine so go home."

"Come on Cat. Let's hang out."

"I have plans so please go."

"What are you doing?"

"Chase Angel please go."

"Hello?" David was standing in the doorway.

"Dammit." I muttered under my breath. Before turning to the door I sent my brother a glare. I plastered a smile on my face and turned around to see my date and in his arms he held a vase full of lavender tulips.

"I told you that I would remember."

"They're beautiful." I said taking the flowers from his hands. He leaned forward and quickly kissed my lips.

"Hi. I'm Chase." My stupid brother placed himself right in the middle of David and I. "I'm Catherine's younger and favorite brother."

"Not right now you're not." I snapped walking away and placing my flowers on my table.

"So what are you kiddes up to?"

"Getting ready to leave so bye." I said.

"Really where are you going?"

"Chase." I warned.

"I'm taking Catherine to an amusement park."

"Really?" Chase and I said at the same time.

"That sounds like fun. I haven't been to an amusement park in ages." Chase told David.

"Would you like to join us?"

"No." Ali and I said at the same time.

"Sure." Chase answered.

"Great. It's settled." David turned to me. "I guess that I should have asked you." He said meekly. I couldn't deny him.

"It's fine." I said with a smile. I would deal with Chase later.

--

The date turned out okay considering Chase monopolized David's attention. Chase and David really seemed to get along which was a good thing because Chase never likes my boyfriends, not saying that David is my boyfriend but if he would end up my boyfriend then Chase wouldn't give me hell.

After we returned from the amusement park David and I hung out in my apartment for an hour talking and drinking a glass of wine. As he was leaving he kissed me goodbye, this time he added a little tongue, which was fine by me. When he was in the elevator I grabbed the second elevator and went to Chase's apartment. I banged on the and when he opened the door I stormed in and shoved him into a wall.

"What the hell was that?" I shouted.

"Back off Cat." He pushed me to the side.

"Why did you show up and push yourself on my date?"

"I…I…was just visiting."

"Bullshit. He sent you to spy didn't he?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." He said looking at the floor.

"You're a horrible liar, always have been."

"We just worry about you."

"You both need to back the hell off. I am a grown woman entitled to my own private life. I'm surprised Connor wasn't with you."

"He was busy." Chase said with a grin.

"I am not laughing. In fact I am royally pissed at you. Stay the hell out of my life." I shouted and stormed out of his apartment.

Angel's POV

I was sitting in the living room reading when I heard the front door slam. I placed my book on the table, stood and came face to face with Hurricane Catherine. She was furious, I could see it all over her face. She reminded me of her mother when she got mad. Actually everything about her reminded me of Cordy.

"How dare you?" She yelled jabbing her finger in my chest.

"How dare I what?"

"Don't play dumb with me. You know exactly what I'm talking about."

"What is going on?" Cordy asked, joining us in the living room.

"Why don't you ask your husband?" She said, shooting daggers in my direction.

"Angel what happened?" Before I could open my mouth Catherine was yelling again.

"He sent Chase to spy on me and David." Cordy looked at me.

"You didn't."

"No I didn't tell him to spy. I just suggested that he show up before her date to check him out."

"Did you tell him?" Catherine asked Cordy.

"No she didn't tell me. I overheard you two talking yesterday."

"Great so now you're spying on me?" She spat.

"I can't help that I have great hearing."

"I am so tired of you butting into my life, sending my brothers on a surprise attack during my date."

"You sent Connor too?" A pissed off Cordy asked.

"He couldn't make it." Catherine filled in. "This has gotten ridiculous. Look at me daddy. I am a grown up perfectly capable of making my own decisions. I don't need you lurking around every corner. If I want to go to a bar and sleep with the first guy that buys me a drink I can do that because I am a grown woman. If I want to buy drugs on the street I can because I am a grown woman. If I want to move to New York and pose nude for a magazine I can do that because I am a grown woman. Are you seeing a pattern here dad?"

"I get it. You're a grown woman."

"No dad I don't think that you do because if you did you wouldn't eavesdrop on private conversations and send my brother to go on my date with me."

"Why didn't you tell me about this guy?"

"Because I knew you would overreact and do something stupid."

"Is it stupid to worry about you?"

"You take worry to the extreme and I'm damned tired of it. I have asked you so many times to back off and you haven't listened so I'm done with this bullshit. I want you to stay out of my life until you're ready to accept the fact that I am grown up."

"You don't mean that." I whispered. I reached out for her but jerked away from my touch. I hated that.

"Oh believe me I do. Sending Chase was the last straw. I'm not sixteen anymore. I don't need you protecting me. If I'm going to get hurt then it will happen but it's part of life. I need you to let me live that part of my life on my own."

"Catherine…"

"I've made my choice now it's time to make yours." She stared at me for a minute and then turned on her heel and walked out of the house.

"What were you thinking?" Cordy asked me from across the room.

"I wanted to make sure that he was a good guy,"

"You need to trust her instincts. You can't always protect her. You aren't doing her any good. By trying to keep her from getting hurt you were the one who ended up hurting her." Cordy told me wisely. Instead of getting any sympathy from her she left me alone to wallow in my failure of being a father.

_**Thanks for reading. Please review.**_


	12. Chapter 12

**I own none of the characters of Angel**

**_Angel's POV_**

"Hi. This is Catherine. I can't get to my phone right now so leave me a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Thanks."

"Dammit Catherine. Please call me back. We can't keep doing this. We need to talk so call me back." I slammed the phone down in frustration.

"Still ignoring you huh?" Cordy asked.

"It's been a week. She hasn't answered any of my calls and she won't speak to me at work. Whenever I walk into her office she ignores me or walks out. I can't take much more of this."

"She ain't talking to me either dad." Chase added not really helping my case.

"You did this to yourself Angel. You eavesdropped on a private conversation between our daughter and me and if that wasn't bad enough you made it worse by sending your son to spy on her new boyfriend." She then turned her anger to our son. "And you young man." She jabbed her finger in his chest and when I saw the look that crossed his face it took everything I had not to laugh. He showed no fear when faced with vampires or demons but when Cordy was pissed at him he looked terrified and right now he looked terrified. "You should have known better then to spy on your sister. You should have known better then to follow one of your father's stupid, idiotic, asinine plans regarding your sister."

"I worry about her too."

"That is no excuse. She is a grown woman; to spy on her is stupid and immature. I am so disappointed in you." She turned towards me and jabbed me in the chest with her finger, like she did to Chase. "I'm disappointed in both of you. In fact you both should be ashamed of yourself." Cordy sent us both a glare and headed outside.

"Thanks a hell of a lot dad." Chase muttered as soon as the sliding glass door slammed shut. "Mom's pissed off at me, Ali is pissed off at me and Cat is furious with me."

"Why is Ali pissed at you?"

"Because I drug her into the middle of our little spy game."

"Well you can't blame me for that one. I didn't tell you to take her with you." Chase sighed. "I never did ask you; what do you think of this new guy?"

"David's really nice dad. He seems to really care about her. He brought her lavender tulips, her favorite flower. He was a total gentleman."

"There's nothing off about him? Nothing weird or creepy? Maybe he is a demon. Did you get the impression that he is a demon?" I was desperate to justify my actions.

"No dad he seems totally normal. I actually like him and that's a first."

"Dammit." I muttered.

"Do you want him to be an asshole?"

"Of course not but if he was then maybe Catherine would forgive me."

"It won't be that easy. You're going to have to beg and plead for her forgiveness. You're going to have to work for it."

"You're one to talk."

"Yeah but according to Catherine's shit list you're on the top so you, dear dad are going to have to work a hell of a lot harder than I will." Chase smirked.

"Don't you have your own place to hang out in?"

"It's more fun hanging here, tormenting you." My son was such a smart ass.

"Get out." I growled.

"Fine." He walked outside and kissed his mother. "Later pop." He smirked as he walked past me. I growled and he just laughed. How can he be scared of little Cordy but not my menacing growl? I headed to the kitchen to get a glass of blood and then I collapsed on the couch, sipping my dinner.

"Cor can I fix this?" I asked her when she joined me.

"Eventually Angel. Catherine is a very stubborn young woman."

"Wonder where she gets that from?" I quipped.

"Yes I'm stubborn but so are you buster. She gets it from both of us. She is trying to prove a point and she'll forgive you when she is good and ready. You can't rush it Angel."

"I hate this. I hate that my own daughter hates me." Cordy reached out and took my hand.

"She doesn't hate you Angel. She is just really pissed off at you."

"I just wanted to make sure he was a good guy."

"Then you should have asked her instead of sending your son to spy on her." Cordy was not going to take my side.

"If she would have told me about him then I wouldn't have had to eavesdrop and send Chase to check him out." That sounded so much better then spying on her.

"That is such bullshit Angel and you know it. She didn't tell you because she knew you would overreact and do something stupid like sending Chase to spy on her…oh wait that is exactly what you did."

"All right Cor I get it. I screwed up. I was wrong. Catherine is old enough to make her own decisions, good or bad."

"Maybe you should tell her that and this time mean it."

"How can I when she won't talk to me?"

"Well maybe next time you leave her a voicemail avoid the whole "Call me back. We have to talk" crap. Just tell her voicemail what you just told me. It may help."

"I can do that." I leaned over and kissed my wife. When we broke apart I stood, grabbed my phone and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?"

"I need to go for a walk."

"Angel don't go over there." She warned.

"I'm not. I just need some fresh air." As much as I loved Cordy, I needed to be alone to think. Thankfully she understood that.

"Stay out of direct sunlight sweetheart." I sent her glare. Of course my glares didn't do anything to her. She just smiled and blew me a kiss. Once I was in the safety of the sewer I opened my cell phone and attempted to call my daughter again.

_**Catherine's POV**_

"Aren't you going to answer that?" David asked me as I silenced my cell phone.

"Nope."

"How long are you going to continue to ignore your father?"

"I haven't decided yet."

"Cat, it really didn't bother me that your brother showed up."

"Well it bothered the hell out of me. My dad still thinks I'm twelve years old and he needs to get over it."

"He just loves you sweetheart."

"Maybe a little too much."

"There is no such thing." He said with a grin. "Especially where you're concerned." He slowly leaned towards me and pressed his lips to mine, pushing me back on the couch. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him down on the couch with me. I really did love kissing him. He was a great kisser. I could kiss him all of the time. These past two weeks that we had been together have been wonderful. When we weren't together or working we were on the phone getting to know each other. I have lost so much sleep these last few weeks because we can never seem to hang up the phone. We haven't slept together yet and the best thing was David wasn't pushing me. In fact he hadn't even mentioned having sex yet.

"This really sucks." I mumbled after we broke apart.

"What the kisses? Fine I won't kiss you anymore."

"No the kisses are great. It's everything else." Tears filled my eyes.

"Sweetheart, talk to me." David begged as he pulled me into his arms. Suddenly I was overcome with emotion and I burst into tears. David just held me in his arms and rubbed my back until my sobs subsided. This is the first time I cried since I basically kicked my father out of my life. "Catherine?" He whispered.

"I hate fighting with him. I just hate it."

"Then why are you keeping the fight up? From all of the phone calls that you are receiving from him it sounds like he wants to end it."

"Because he needs to learn a lesson."

"Catherine don't you think he has?" I nodded. "Then call him." I shook my head. "Look I get that a father wants to protect his daughter. Maybe you should just let him."

"He doesn't want me to get hurt which I understand but he goes overboard. He almost killed my last boyfriend." David laughed. "I'm serious. My father is a vampire and he almost had Alex for dinner." David then turned pale. "Well, he was an asshole."

"Do you mind if I ask what happened with the asshole?"

"I caught him having sex with another woman. It was my fault really. I should have called before I showed up at his apartment but I thought that I might have been pregnant and I needed to talk to him."

"Were you?"

"No. It was a false alarm." I sighed. "I guess that I can understand why he acts like he does because I was really hurt and scared and he probably never wants to see me like that again." I sat up and wiped my tears away. "My god, I am such an ass." I grabbed my cell phone and called my dad. I waited impatiently while his phone rang and eventually went to voicemail.

"Daddy it's me. I'm so sorry. I said some horrible things. Please call me; no matter what time. I love you." Thankfully dad had finally learned how to check his voicemail so I knew that he would get my message. I slowly hung my phone up and looked at David. I reached out and took his hand. "I'm sorry David. I'm sure that this is not what you expected when you came over tonight."

"I expected to be with you and that's what I got."

"Me and all of my emotional crap."

"Everyone has emotional crap." I leaned forward and gently kissed him. "How about that movie I brought over?" I nodded.

While David started the DVD I made us a bag of microwave popcorn. Once the popcorn was made we curled up on the couch to watch the movie. As soon as the bowl of popcorn was empty we both fell asleep and we didn't wake up again until my phone rang.

"Daddy?" I answered

"No baby girl it's mom. I need you to come over to the house."

"Mom what's wrong?" I knew that tone of voice and it was never a good thing to hear.

"Just come over to the house."

"Is it Chase? Did something happen to him."

"It's not Chase." She said softly.

"MOM."

"It's your dad."

"Is he okay?"

"All I know is that he is in trouble. Now get your ass over here." She was becoming impatient.

"I'm on my way."

"What's wrong?" David asked sleepily.

"My dad is in trouble. I've got to go."

"Can I help?"

"No thanks."

"I'd be more trouble then help right?"

"Yeah I wouldn't be able to help my dad very well if I am worried about you." I told him.

"I understand." He stood and quickly kissed me. "Be careful and good luck."

"I will." I grabbed my keys and purse and quickly headed to my car, hoping like hell we could get to my dad on time.

**_Angel's POV_**

"Awwww." I screamed as another hot poker was jammed onto my chest. This has been going on for hours. Earlier tonight I was out walking the streets of L. A. when I was jumped by a gang of vampires. Because my mind was focused on Catherine I didn't sense or smell them until it was too late and now I was strung up by my arms being tortured with swords being jammed into my body and hot pokers frying my skin.

"Are you ready to tell me where it's at?" The vampire named Brody asked me.

"Go to hell." I said, spitting in his face, which led Brody to punch me in the face.

"We want the ring. We aren't leaving until we have the location of the ring."

"Then I guess that you will be here for a long time asshole cause you're not getting it from me." A few months ago we had discovered that there was another form of the Amura ring out there- the only difference is this ring makes the vampire invincible to staking, known as the Fluten ring. When we found the Fluten ring I wanted to destroy it but Cordy made me keep it, in case of an emergency. We hid it under the floorboard under our bed in our room.

"Then we will capture that whore of yours and your brats and do to them what we have and will do to you until they tell us what we need to know." Brody told me smugly.

"Don't touch my wife or kids." I growled.

"What are you going to do about it soul boy?"

"I'm going to kick your sorry asses."

"Yeah I'm really worried about that happening." Brody smirked. "Eventually they will show up to rescue their dear daddy and when they do they will be ours."

I started laughing. "Dumbasses." I mumbled. Brody's boy toy Doug decided my last comment earned me a stab to my abdomen. "Arghhhhhh."

"You're the dunmbass. Dumbass." Some stupid blonde vampire commented and I just rolled my eyes.

"You're not the first set of idiots that have attempted to capture my kids and I'm sure you won't be the last. No one has gotten away with it yet and you idiots sure as hell won't succeed." God, I hope they got here soon because I didn't know how much more of this I could take.

"I'll bet your little girl and wife taste really good." Doug mumbled licking his lips and I felt rage build up from my wounded stomach.

"Fuck you." Doug swung a baseball bat to my right arm and I heard the bones crack as I screamed out in agony.

"Fine then. We'll just continue to have more fun and if by the time the sun rises they still haven't shown up then we'll use you to start a bonfire and then we will go after them."

For the next hour they continued to stab me with swords and hot pokers and they added breaking my arms, legs and ribs with a baseball bat. Towards the end of that hour the door to my torture chamber flew open and my family burst into the room.

"Daddy." I heard Catherine scream I weakly lifted my head and saw the worried looks across everyone's faces. Cordelia even showed up to fight, something she rarely did anymore.

"I'm okay." I mumbled but no one heard me. They were all jumping into action. Besides Brody, Doug and the stupid blonde there were also about twenty more vamps fighting with my family and Wesley. I looked around and I didn't see any of the slayers, which pissed me off. They should have brought reinforcements. I watched helplessly as they fought hard to save my life.

"Catherine nooooo." I yelled weakly. She was headed straight for Brody, the strongest of the bunch. Connor's the strongest; he should be the one going after Brody not her. I know damn well that she heard me but she kept running for him. She fought him off for a good ten minutes before he had her against the wall and was sinking his teeth into her neck. As if they were a well oiled machine I watched as Wesley, Cordy, Connor, Chase and Catherine all stabbed their vampire attackers. They all had hidden stakes under their shirt sleeves that shot out, surprising their attackers and within seconds the fast five vamps were turned to dust.

Wesley, Chase and Connor rushed over to me while Cordy rushed over to Catherine who had slid to the floor, holding her hand to her neck. "Catherine?" I mumbled

"She'll be fine dad." Connor told me. Wesley held onto my legs while Connor and Chase yanked the chains on my arms down from the ceiling where they were attached.

"Can't walk." I groaned as I fell against my boy's arms. "Broken legs."

"We got you dad." Chase kindly told me. "Just put your arms around our shoulders." I groaned in pain as I painfully placed my arms around their shoulders. "Dad?"

"Arms…ribs…broken." I gasped in pain.

"Don't worry dad. We got you. We'll take care of you." Connor told me and I finally allowed myself to pass out from the pain.

**_Catherine's POV_**

"Baby girl are you okay?" Mom asked me when she reached my side.

"Daddy?" I mumbled. Losing blood can really take it out of you. Those bastards can really drink fast.

"He'll be fine." She pulled my hand away from my neck and placed part of her shirt that she ripped off, against my neck. I started to stand up but she stopped me.

"Wait for your brother to come and carry you to the car."

"I'm fine." I slowly pulled myself up to a standing position. I took two steps before I got dizzy and fell back against my mom.

"You are as stubborn as your damn father." She muttered running her fingers through my hair. "You are so brave my sweet girl. "

"Catherine are you okay?" Connor asked as he ran up to me.

"Fine. Just a little weak."

"I got you Cat." He effortlessly scooped me up into his arms and carried me out to the car.

"Daddy…is he okay?" I asked me.

"Don't worry Cat. We are taking care of him." Connor was blowing me off and I didn't appreciate it.

"Connor tell me." I demanded as he placed me in the car.

"He'll be fine." He said and shut the door. I watched as he and mom had a whispered conversation outside of the car. I saw tears fall from her eyes. She quickly wiped her eyes and glanced my way to see if I was watching them and I just glared at them. She hugged Connor and quickly got in the car.

"Both of his arms and legs were broken as were most of his ribs. He has numerous stab wounds throughout his abdomen and multiple burns on his chest, abdomen, and arms." She told me before I could ask. I felt the vomit rise in throat and luckily she hadn't started driving yet so I opened the door and threw up my dinner and popcorn. Mom reached over and gently rubbed my back. "Are you okay Catherine?" I nodded as I shut the door and laid my head against the seat.

"This is all my fault mom." I mumbled through my tears on the way back to their house.

"No it's not."

"Yes it is. He probably was thinking about our fight and he wasn't paying attention to his surroundings and he got captured. If I didn't kick him out of my life then he wouldn't have broken legs, arms and ribs." I hated what I did to my father and mom wisely didn't try to convince me otherwise.

As soon as we got back to my parents house I had gained enough of my strength back to walk in on my own but mom was right behind me. Chase was pacing in the living room when we walked in.

"Chase watch her. I'll be back." Mom ordered and disappeared upstairs.

"How bad is it?" I knew Chase would be honest with me.

"It's bad Cat. It's really bad. I've never seen anything like this before. He actually passed out from the pain."

"Oh God." I clamped my hand over my mouth and sat on the couch.

"Jesus Cat, if you hadn't of been so hard on him then this wouldn't have happened." Like I said, Chase is always honest with me.

"Don't you think I know that? I know that it's my fault that he is lying upstairs." I yelled. I started crying and Chase sat on the other end of the couch ignoring me until mom came back downstairs.

"All right you two." Mom snapped. "Catherine this is not your fault and Chase stop blaming your sister. This would have happened regardless of the fight. Those vampires were planning this for awhile. Do you understand me?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Good. Dad is still unconscious. Uncle Wes splinted his arms and legs and wrapped his ribs. Now don't worry. He'll be fine in a couple of days."

"Can I sit with him?" I asked

"Of course you can."

--

For the next twenty four hours Mom, Chase. Connor and I sat next to dad's bad waiting for him to wake up. He groaned several times throughout the night. Mom told me the only other time she had seen him this bad was on my second birthday when I ran outside and he had to run after me into the sun, again my fault no matter what mom said. When he finally woke up Mom, Connor and Chase were downstairs eating.

"Catherine?" He mumbled.

"Hi daddy."

"Are you all right? You were bit."

"I'm fine." He tried to sit up. "Daddy stay down. Uncle Wes splinted your arms and legs and wrapped your ribs. You should be okay in a day or two."

"Bastards." He muttered with a small smile. I reached out and took his hand.

"Daddy, I'm so sorry." I whispered with tears in my eyes. I gently laid my head on his chest and he placed his hand on my tears while I cried.

"I'm sorry too chipmunk."

"I want you in my life. I want you to protect me." I mumbled into his chest.

"You are a grown woman Catherine who needs to live. How about we make a compromise?" I nodded and lifted my head to look at him. "How about I always protect you when we are fighting but when matters of the heart is concerned I'll only kick ass if you ask me too."

"I can live with that." I said with a smile.

"So when can I meet this new fellow of yours?"

"How about when you're not all broken up?" I asked referring to his broken bones.

"Good because I am definitely more intimidating on two feet rather than on my back."

"Daddy." I warned.

"Sorry hon. Old habits die hard." Grinning, I leaned forward and kissed his cheek.

"I love you."

"I love you too Catherine."

**Thanks for reading. Reviews are always appreciated so please review.**


	13. Chapter 13

**I own none of the characters of Angel.**

**_Angel's POV_**

"Well look at that." Connor said smugly. "I believe that you landed on Park Place and I believe that's a hotel. Wow. You owe me a lot of money. Hand it over dad."

Chase, Connor, Wesley, Gunn and David were all over at my house having a guys night in that included beer and pizza for the guys, blood for me and an intense game of Monopoly that I was quickly losing. Cordy, Catherine, Ciara, Fred and Ali were having a girls outing, which meant they were out shopping at the mall.

"Chase…I'm uhh…I'm a little short." I told him counting out my pitiful stack of Monopoly dollars.

"You know what that means." Chase responded with a grin. He was enjoying this way too much. Chase was a ruthless Monopoly player and he usually kicked all of our asses.

"Come on Chase. Cut me some slack." He shook his head.

"I can give you a loan sir." David told me. I really did like the kid. He was very polite; pleasant to be around and most importantly he really cared for my daughter. I could tell that as far as David was concerned the sun rose and set around my daughter.

"That's a great attempt to get on my dad's good side but one of the rules are no loans." Connor said.

"I appreciate the offer David but I'm going to have to mortgage my Electric company. If you haven't already realized this is a ruthless game and all of the players are very serious."

"The longest game took twenty-two hours." Connor told him.

"But who won that game?" I asked him.

"Dad we have been playing for years and that game has been the only one you've one." My oldest son smirked.

"I let you kids win. It's my job as your dad to build your self-esteem and by letting you win a few games I was able to accomplish that." Everyone but David burst out laughing.

"Bullshit dad." Chase quipped. "You suck at Monopoly. We've only been playing for an hour and a half and you are already broke. Face it dad you suck."

"Can we get back to the game please? Wes it's your turn." I really wanted to get off the subject of how badly I suck at Monopoly.

"Usually the winner is Wesley or Chase." Gunn explained. "But over the years all of us but Angel have won a few games."

"Can we please move on?" I begged.

"Fine." Everyone agreed.

We played in serious silence for the next twenty minutes. I actually was starting to win back some money when Connor and Chase started arguing, a normal occurrence during these game nights.

"You moved seven instead of six places." Chase accused.

"Whatever. I moved six." Connor defended

"No you didn't. I watched you and counted. I know how to count Connor."

"Every time we play you pull this stunt Chase. Is cheating the only way you know how to win?"

"Shut up Connor." Chase shouted standing up.

"Why don't you come over here and make me?" In two steps they were standing nose to nose next to the table. I quickly stood in between them.

"Seriously you two? Every time we play you two fight. We have a guest and you're going to end up scaring him away and I don't want to deal with Catherine if that happens and God help you both if you get blood on the new carpet. Cordelia will kill both of you."

"He's cheating." Both of my grown sons shouted.

"For God's sake how old are you two? Knock it off and sit your asses down so we can finish the damn game." With one final glare at each other Chase and Connor sat back down and we continued our game.

Fifteen minutes later I had just hit the jackpot in Free Parking when the house started to shake. Pictures fell off the walls, books fell off the shelves, and plates crashed to the floor.

"Earthquake." I shouted. "Everyone get to a doorway." I grabbed David and practically drug him to the doorway between the living room and kitchen. I watched as Gunn, Wesley, Connor and Chase all made it safely to other doorways.

It seemed to take forever for the earth to stop shaking but in reality it was only a few minutes. "Is everyone okay?" I asked and I heard numerous "yeses" throughout the room.

"That was a bad one." Gunn commented and we all thought of the women in our lives that were out shopping. At the same time we all grabbed our phones and tried to reach them. I received busy signals when I attempted to reach Cordy and Catherine.

"Has anyone reached any of them?" I asked.

"No." Came the answer.

"The cell towers probably were damaged during the quake." Wesley said. He was always the logical one but I had a bad feeling.

Thankfully we still had electric so Chase turned the T.V. and there was already coverage of the damage on all of the stations. We all sat in silence watching the news and trying unsuccessfully to reach our loved ones. Suddenly the news went to a live broadcast of the local mall where the girls were shopping. It was practically flattened.

"Dad." Chase whispered.

"I'm going after them."

"So am I." Everyone replied.

"David maybe you should wait here." I knew that Connor, Chase, Wes and Gunn could handle themselves but I didn't know if David could handle himself and I wasn't willing to risk his life.

"With all due respect sir, I love Catherine and I want to help find her."

"It will be dangerous."

"I'm going to be a nurse in a couple of months. If any of them are hurt I can help. It's not always about the strength." At that moment David earned my total respect. Not many people would stand up to me but he did and I really respected that.

"Let's go."

_**Cordy's POV**_

I opened my eyes and everything came rushing back. We were walking in the mall, laughing and talking when the building started to shake. People started running and the screaming…there was so much screaming. We all linked hands and tried to run for cover but the building started to crash around us and that's the last thing that I remember.

Once my eyes focused I wish that they hadn't. We were surrounded by large pieces of the building and I could still hear screaming but it wasn't as loud as before. They were the screams of the dying. I wanted to help them, my friends and daughter. "Catherine." I called out but she didn't respond. "CATHERINE." This time I shouted but I still got no response so I began to panic and cry. I struggled to stand up but my leg was pinned beneath a piece of the building. "God Dammit." I cried. "Catherine…please…where are you?" I tried to lift the large piece of cement off my leg but it wouldn't budge. "Ali, Ciara, Fred can you guys hear me?" After a few minutes of silence, someone close to me moaned. "Catherine?"

"It's me." Fred groaned.

"Fred are you hurt?"

"I'm just sore. I don't think that anything is broken. What about you?"

"My leg is stuck. I can't get move. Is Catherine Ciara or Ali anywhere around you? Catherine won't answer me." I said tearfully. I was terrified for Ciara, Ali and Catherine. I heard Fred moving around next to me.

"I can see Ciara."

"Is she…alive?"

"I can feel a pulse."

"Thank god but where is Ali and Cat? Fred I can't find my daughter or my son's girlfriend who is like a daughter to me." I started to sob.

"Cordy calm down. From where I'm standing I can see Ali. She is to your left unconscious." I tried desperately to reach her but I couldn't.

"Fred can you come and check her?"

"I can't sweetie. I'm surrounded by debris."

"Catherine…where the hell is Catherine."

"Mom…relax." Catherine's voice rose from behind me. "I'm fine."

"Oh thank god. Are you all right sweetheart?"

"I'm fine mom." She repeated but I wouldn't relax until I could see for myself. "What about you mom…are you okay?"

"My leg is pinned so I can't move." I chose not to mention the fact that it was probably broke. Catherine would freak out if she knew. "Which is why I can't get to Ali. Please baby go make sure Ali is okay."

"What about Ciara?"

"She's unconscious but she still has a pulse. I can't get close enough to evaluate her condition."

"Okay, I'm going to try to move some of this and see if I can get us all together." Catherine said.

"Be careful honey." I begged her.

"I will mommy." I sat there very impatiently while Catherine started large pieces of the building around. I was always glad that she inherited her father's strength, especially when she was fighting vampires or demons but I never truly appreciated it until right now because it never directly affected me until now. Before I knew it she had cleared a path and was carrying a lifeless Ali over to me.

"I checked all over and I don't see any major outward injuries." Catherine told me laying Ali down on the floor next to me. "Just a few cuts and bruises."

"She could have some internal injuries." Fred commented, not easing my apprehension.

"That's what I thought." Catherine said and then she got back to work.

"Come on Ali honey." I whispered. "You need to wake up. If I know Chase he is on his way over here to find you so you need to be awake when he gets here." I continued to whisper to her until Catherine had cleared a path and brought Ciara over to me who was still unconscious.

"I need to get this off of you." Catherine panted.

"You need to take a break sweetie." I told her. She was exhausted and sweating profusely. I was worried that she was going to dehydrate herself.

"I'll take a break when I get this off of you." She grunted as she attempted to lift the large piece of cement off of my leg. "Aunt Fred can you help me?" Fred left Ciara's side and joined Catherine.

"Cat honey it's too heavy." Fred said.

"Look I can't move it but I think that I can lift it enough that you can pull it out."

"Just leave it sweetheart until the rescue workers get here." I begged my daughter

"No mom. I've been helping David study and I know that if thing stays on your leg too long you could lose your leg and I'm not going to let that happen."

"Catherine you're over reacting." I snapped.

"I can save total strangers lives so I damned well am going to save yours." She positioned herself. "Aunt Fred get ready to pull when I say." She demanded. Sighing Fred went behind me and placed her hands under my arms. I watched helplessly as my daughter struggled to free me of my confines. "NOW.' She shouted.

"Arrrgh." I screamed as Fred yanked me out. My leg felt like it was on fire.

"This does not look good." Fred said while she examined my leg. "It's a good thing we got you out when we did. Cordy you're leg is crushed in at least two places." She took her jacket off and placed it over one of the largest gash.

"GOD DAMMIT." Catherine shouted.

"Catherine Suzanne. You need to calm down." I told her.

"I can't move these. They are too heavy." She snapped. "I have to move these. I have to get you, Ali and Ciara out of here. I have to get you help. I won't let you guys die." I nodded at Fred who went over to Catherine, placed an arm around her shoulder and led her over to me. As soon as she was on the floor next to me I replaced Fred's arm with my own.

"Baby girl you did all that you can do." I told her softly. "You saved my leg. Now all we have to do is wait for the rescue workers or your father to find us."

"Mommy I'm scared." She whispered tearfully. "I don't want to die in here."

"Catherine listen to me." I told her sternly. "We are NOT going to die in here. I know that your dad and brothers are somewhere in this fallen down building looking for us and they WILL find us. Your dad has never let me down and I know that he will not start now."

"Promise?"

"I promise sweetheart."

**_Angel's POV_**

We arrived at the crumbled down mall just as the sun fell. There were hundreds of rescue workers milling around and thankfully I saw them bringing out survivors. Even though Gunn was worried sick about he used his D.A. position and was able to access the list of survivors and dead that had been pulled from the building. I saw his hand shake as he read the list and then I saw his body relax slightly when he didn't find Ali, Cordy, Fred, Catherine or Ciara's name on either list but all that meant was they were still inside and they could possibly be dead. He motioned us over the officer in charge.

"These are some friends of mine that I was with when the quake occurred. We heard that you needed all the man power you could get so we are here to volunteer." Gunn told us not to mention the fact that our wives, children and girlfriends were trapped inside because if they knew that we wouldn't be allowed in.

The guy in charge eagerly accepted our help and began giving instructions, which I wasn't listening to. My only thoughts were getting the hell inside the wreckage and find my family. I knew they were still alive. Cordy and I are so connected that I would know if she were gone and since I wasn't feeling her death I knew she was alive and therefore keeping everyone else alive.

"Dad come on." Connor said putting a hardhat on my head, like I would need it.

"I don't need this." I mumbled taking it off.

"If you want in that building you will put the damn hat on." He snapped.

"Fine." I placed the hat on my head and we all slowly walked in.

We made it five feet into the wreckage when it hit me. "Oh God." I mumbled. The blood…human blood…I could smell it. It was everywhere and it was so strong. I was suddenly very hungry and pig's blood would cut it. I haven't had a craving like this in years, not since Wolfram & Hart fed me Connor's blood.

"Dad what's wrong?" Chase asked. I had stopped moving because every step I took made me hungrier.

"Blood." Wesley said. "He can smell the human blood."

"It's so strong." I whispered.

"What's the big deal? You smell blood all the time." Chase asked.

"Never this much. A vampire's nature is too feed on humans and your dad hasn't fed on a human in years. He has been able to keep his craving under control but seeing and smelling this much blood is making him very hungry right now, right?" Wesley asked and I nodded weakly.

"Dad you need to get it out of your mind; the smell, the thought of feeding, all of it get it out of your mind and focus." Connor told me. "Dad your best friend's wife is trapped. Your other best friend's daughter who is also your son's girlfriend is trapped and along with them is my wife, your daughter and wife. They need you dad. They need you to focus and help them. You can do this."

"You're right. Let's go." I focused my mind on my family and got to work.

We carefully made our way through the wreckage moving pieces of the building as we went. Connor, Chase and I were on fire, picking up the pieces and moving them like they were feathers. Some of the other rescue workers were sending us the weirdest looks but we ignored them. We were on a mission and no amount of weird looks were going to stop us.

"Wait do you hear that?" I shouted. I was hearing crying.

"I got nothing Angel. You're the only one with super sonic hearing." Gunn smarted.

"I can hear it. It's over to the right." Chase said. We all headed to the right and dug out a family of four. I felt my body stiffen when I saw the blood covering them. Wesley reached over and placed an encouraging hand on my shoulder.

"We need to get them help." David said.

"I'll get dad, Chase, Connor you guys can get mom and one of the twins and Gunn, Wes, you two grab the other twin and David you wait here so we can find our way back."

"Dad can you handle it. There's a lot of blood." Chase asked me.

"I'll be fine." They all stood around and stared at me. "These people are helpless and that's a thing that I do. I help the helpless. Now let's get them some help so we can find the girls."

--

We spent the next few hours moving ahead a few feet before we would find some alive, some dead and we would take them all outside so their families would have some answers good or bad.

"Are we sure that they are here?" Chase asked.

"They always come to this mall." Wesley answered.

"We would have heard from them if they weren't here. Ciara wouldn't want me to worry." Connor said.

"They're here. I can smell Cordy and Catherine. At one point they walked through here when the mall was still in one piece." I told them.

"What about Ali, Ciara and Fred? Were they with them?" Wes asked.

"I can't smell them."

"Then maybe they aren't here." Gunn said hopefully.

"They're here. There are familiar scents mixed in with Cordy and Catherine's that probably belong to one or all of the girls but because of all of the blood I can't pinpoint exactly what I'm smelling."

"You can smell Catherine?" David asked me is awe as we continued forward.

"As a vampire I have heightened senses. I can pick up any scent in non-populated areas but places like malls are a lot harder because of the human traffic. In places like this the scents that I can pinpoint are those of Cordy, my kids or grandkids. I think Cordy's scent is prevalent to me because we are in love. I can smell the kids or grandkids because we are connected by blood. My blood is mixed with theirs so in a way I'm smelling myself."

"Wow. That must really come in handy."

"It does especially right now because their smell is getting stronger." I pointed to a wall of debris. "I think that they are behind that wall. Their scent is contained in this area and since I can't see them they must me behind that mess. CORDY." I screamed. I thought I heard a response but I couldn't be sure because of all of the chitchat that was going on behind me. "Will you please shut up? I can't hear." I snapped and it immediately became quiet. "Cordy. Are you here?" I yelled and tears sprung to my eyes when I heard her beautiful voice. I turned around and faced the guys. "They're here. They are all here.'

**_Cordy's POV_**

We had been sitting and waiting for hours for the rescue workers or Angel to come for us. About every fifteen minutes Catherine would try unsuccessfully to move some of the debris. Every time she was unable to move a piece she got all pissed off and would start kicking the debris and yelling. Fred had managed to temporarily control the bleeding on my leg but that was hours ago and now it was bleeding again and I know that I didn't have much time left before I passed out. I could feel myself growing weaker by the minute.

"How is Ciara?" I asked Fred weakly.

"The same. It's been an hour since she last opened her eyes. What about Ali?"

"Nothing."

"Cordelia if they are bleeding internally and we don't get them out of here…"

"I know."

"He's here." Catherine spoke up suddenly.

"What?" I asked her.

"Daddy's here. I can hear him yelling."

"ANGEL" I screamed. Catherine stood and walked over to the wall.

"He's yelling for you again."

"Angel we're all here." I yelled as loud as I could.

"They're coming. They're going to get us out of here." Tears of relief fell from my eyes.

"Yeah daddy we're all away from it." I heard her say. I hated that I couldn't hear what Angel was saying.

"Catherine get away from that and get over here right now." I told her when the wall of debris started moving.

"I'm trying to help." I didn't know if she was talking to me or to her father.

"If one piece goes the wrong way it can hurt you. Now get over here."

"Fine." She stormed over and sat next to me.

"You're dad said the same thing didn't he?" I smirked and she nodded.

An hour ago, sitting in this dark hole of what used to be the mall I never thought that I would see my husband's or son's face again but when a piece of the debris was moved and Angel poked his head through I started crying.

"Cordy are you okay?" He asked, his voice full of worry and I was crying so hard that all I could do was nod. "Catherine what's everyone status in there?"

"I'm fine and so is Aunt Fred. Ciara and Ali are unconscious. They have been since the building came down. Aunt Fred thinks that they may be bleeding internally." I heard gasping from the other side of the wall. "Mom's leg was crushed from a large piece debris that fell on her. We were able to pull her out but she's lost a lot of blood."

"Cordy hang in there babe. I'm going to get you out in a few minutes." I nodded as he got back to work. I had just closed my eyes when Fred screamed.

"Angel stop." She shouted and Angel poked his head back in. "You can't move anymore. If you do the whole place will come down around us."

"I have to get you out."

"If you move one more piece we will be crushed to death." As if on cue the building started to shake and large pieces of cement began to fall. The last thing I remember was hearing Catherine's screams as she threw her body over Ali and I, protecting us.

_**Thanks for reading. Reviews are appreciated and encouraged. :)**_


	14. Chapter 14

**I own none of the characters of Angel**

_**Catherine's POV**_

"CORDELIA. CATHERINE." I heard my dad screaming when everything finally stopped falling. I opened my eyes and found myself on top of my mother and Ali and neither of them were moving. I lifted my head and looked around until I saw Aunt Fred lying on top of Ciara and neither of them were moving either.

"Mom." I said shaking her but she didn't respond. "Mom." I shouted, fighting back my tears.

"CATHERINE. CORDELIA." Dad shouted again

"Daddy." I yelled back.

"Is everyone okay?"

"No." I went over to Aunt Fred and Ciara and they still had pulses. "I'm the only one conscious. We need to get them out."

"I think that the hole is big enough for everyone to squeeze through. Can you lift them through the hole sweetheart?" Dad asked me.

"I can lift them up but the hole is above my head. I don't think that I can get them up there."

"Hang on." While I waited I began to pace around checking on my family, suddenly I heard a sound from the hole above my head and I watched as Chase pushed his way through.

"What the hell? I'm trying to get out." I muttered.

"I'm taller then you are. I can help you get everyone out of here. Where's Ali?" He asked worriedly. I pointed to her and Chase rushed over to her. "Ali…sweetheart." He murmured

"Chase we need to get them out of here."

"Yeah I know." He said never taking his eyes away from Ali.

"Ali and Ciara have been unconscious since the quake so I think we need to get them out first." I said.

"Let's get Ali out and then Ce." He agreed. We quickly formulated a plan. I would lift them up and Chase would lift me up to the hole.

I scooped Ali up in my arms and walked over to the wall. Chase gently kissed her head, "Okay daddy, I'm bringing up Ali."

"Whenever you're ready hon." I nodded to Chase he lifted us into the air. I easily placed her into the hole and Dad reached out and pulled her out.

Chase and I continued the process until we had Ciara and Aunt Fred out. Mom was a bit more worrisome because of her crushed leg. I didn't want to take the chance of causing anymore damage but I wasn't sure how to do it.

"How do we do this without hurting her more?" I asked.

"I don't think there is a way. We just need to be very careful. Thankfully she is unconscious so if we do hurt her anymore she won't feel it." Just as I nodded in agreement mom began to moan. So much for that idea.

"Mommy. Are you okay?" I asked her when she opened her eyes/

"Is that Chase?"

"Yeah mom. It's me."

"Has he been here the whole time?" She asked weakly.

"No. He is helping me get everyone out."

"Where are Ciara, Ali and Fred?"

"We got them out."

"Are they okay?"

"Yeah mom. They're fine." Chase said. "Now it's your turn. We need to get you out of here okay? Dad is waiting on the other side of this wall for you." She nodded and Chase looked at me. "Now be gentle Cat." I sent my brother a glare.

"I know that." As carefully as I could I started to lift my mother but she screamed out in agony. Tears filled my eyes and I stopped what I was doing. "Mommy I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"What's wrong?" Dad yelled. I knew it was driving him crazy being on the other side away from mom. "Dammit Chase, Catherine answer me."

"We're fine dad." Chase yelled as he bent over mom. "Look mom we have to get you out of here. I know it's going to hurt but we have to move you. Can we try again?" Mom nodded with tears streaming down her face. "Okay Cat. Give it a try."

With my own tears falling I tried again to lift her but yielded the same results; mom screaming in agony. "Chase I can't do this. I'm hurting her." I sobbed.

"Baby it's not your fault." Mom whispered placing her hand on my cheek. "I need you to do something for me." I suddenly got very nervous.

"What mom?"

"Hit me and knock me out." My mouth opened in shock. I shook my head.

"No. I can't do that."

"Sweetheart I want to get out of this hell hole and see your dad again but it hurts too much."

"I can't hit you." I whispered.

"Honey please." I looked at Chase and even though he looked sick at the thought he nodded.

"What is going on?" Dad shouted.

"Just wait a minute." I yelled back. "Mom please." She stared at me imploringly.

"Go ahead Cat. We need to get her out of here." Chase told me.

"I am so sorry mom." I told her tearfully.

"Don't be." I stared at her. "Go ahead Catherine." Fighting back the urge to vomit I raised my hand and balled it into a fist. She nodded at me and closed her eyes and then I did something that I never thought I would ever do. I hit my mother so hard that I knocked her unconscious. As soon as she blacked out I let out a sob and ran to the corner and puked.

"Cat its okay." Chase said softly.

"No it's not. I hit our mother." I cried.

"You did what you had to do. It's for the better. She won't hurt when we move her. Now pull yourself together and let's get the hell out of here before she wakes up." Sniffing I nodded and went back to my mom, gently running my hand over the bruise I had just put there.

"I'm sorry mommy." I whispered.

"Come on Catherine." Chase said and I lifted her into my arms. "Dad we're bringing mom out. Her leg is crushed so you need to be careful." Chase yelled.

"I'm ready." Dad shouted back. Chase lifted us and I put mom in the hole. "I got her." He yelled and he gently pulled her through.

"All right Cat. You're turn." Chase told me. "I'll boost you up."

"What about you?"

"Once you're through I'm tall enough to boost myself through."

"Okay."

"Ready?"

"Ready." Chase hoisted me up and I crawled through the tiny hole, feeling claustrophobic to the point where I couldn't move.

"Catherine?" Dad asked as he poked his head in.

"I…I…can't move." I whispered. I had never been in such a small cramped space before and I felt myself having trouble breathing,

"It's just a few more feet honey." Dad encouraged. I tried to move but I couldn't.

"I can't." I began to cry.

"Reach for my hand Catherine." Dad said sternly. I slowly reached out and clasped his hand. "I'm going to pull you out okay." I felt myself growing lightheaded and breaking out into a cold sweat. "Catherine talk to me."

"Daddy."

"That's my girl. Here we go." Dad began to pull and within a few seconds I was out and in my dad's arms.

"I…can't…breathe…" I cried.

"It's okay. You're out now." Dad soothed. I felt a hand on my back and I looked up and saw David. I pulled away from my dad and into David's arms.

"Catherine you need to relax." David whispered trying to soothe my sobs.

"I…can't…breathe…" I repeated.

"You're having a panic attack. Sit down, put your head in between your legs and take slow deep breaths." David started to lead me over to a piece of the crumbled mall.

"Chase?" I asked through my sobs.

"I'm out." He shouted. As soon as I heard Chase's voice my head started spinning and everything started going dark.

"David." I whispered before darkness overcame me.

_**Angel's POV**_

"Chase grab your sister and let's get the hell out of here." I shouted as I picked up Cordy. Thankfully David understood that Chase was stronger and it would be easier and quicker for Chase to get her out of there.

As soon as we got outside multiple paramedics rushed over to us and began treating my girls. They were quickly loaded into the ambulances and rushed to the local hospital. Luckily they let me sit next to Cordy and hold her hand while they frantically worked on her while shouting words like "BP falling; Pulse weak and thready; massive blood loss; Pulse Ox 80"; words I didn't understand and words that scared the shit out of me. "Come on Cor. Hang in there sweetheart." I whispered clutching her hand with tears streaming down my face. I was terrified that I was going to lose her. "I love you so much and I need you. Your kids need you so you can't leave us."

When we arrived at the hospital Cordelia was rushed in to a room and I forced to wait outside watching helplessly. Fifteen minutes later I was informed that she was stabilized and was being taken to surgery. As she was being wheeled past me I noticed that her eyes were opened.

"Wait." I demanded. "Hey Cordy."

"Angel." She mumbled.

"Hi sweetheart." I leaned down and kissed her.

"Catherine?"

"She's fine." I lied. I hadn't seen Catherine since she was put into the ambulance but I didn't want Cordy to worry before her surgery.

"Good." She visibly relaxed.

"Sir we have to go." The nurse said.

"I love you Cordelia."

"I love you." The orderlies wheeled her away and I held her hand until I couldn't no longer.

"How long will the surgery take?" I asked the doctor who was signing her chart.

"It depends on how much damage we find when we get in there. Probably a few hours maybe more. We'll page you overhead when we're done."

"Thank you."

As soon as the doctor disappeared down the hall with my wife I went on a search for my daughter, daughter in law, Ali and Fred. The hospital was packed with victims from the earthquake. I didn't even know if they were brought here or to another hospital. I went to the information desk but the line was out the door and I didn't have the patience to wait so I conducted my own search. I started on the first floor and looked in every room until I started to find my friends and family.

Fred was the first one I found. She was awake and diagnosed with a concussion. Besides a headache she was feeling fine. Fred told me of the ordeal that they went through while being trapped and how incredibly brave my daughter was. She told me that if had not been for Catherine, Cordy probably would have died. Wesley and her kids were with her so I left them alone and promised to return with information on everyone else.

Next I found Gunn and Chase. Ali had just come out of surgery and she would be fine. She had a concussion, a few cracked ribs, one of which punctured on of her lungs. A few minutes later I found Connor in the surgical waiting room with his kids, Patrick, Angela, Allan and Liam. According to Connor Ciara also had a concussion and a ruptured spleen that had to be removed. She should be out of surgery soon, Liam promised to come and find me when Ciara was awake.

I was just about to give up and start calling other hospitals for Catherine when I found her on the top floor of the hospital. I stood outside the room for a minute watching David talk to her sleeping form, gently running his hand over her face. I realized today when Catherine broke away from me at the mall to run to David that I was no longer the most important man in my daughter's life and I was surprisingly okay with it. David was a really good man and I knew, without a doubt that he loved my daughter. I knocked softly and walked in the room.

"How is she?" I asked walking over to the other side of the bed and taking her hand.

"She's been sleeping. She's dehydrated and the doctors have her on oxygen because she breathed in a lot of the dust from the collapse. Her chest x-ray was normal but there is a lot of wheezing. The doctor said that she should be fine after a few breathing treatments." I nodded. "How is Mrs. Angel?"

"How many times has she told you to call her Cordy?" David grinned sheepishly. "I honestly don't know. She's in surgery now."

"I really need a cup of coffee." He was asking me to stay with her without really coming out and asking me.

"I'll stay with her while you go."

"Can I bring you anything?"

"A cup of coffee would be great." I really wanted blood but that was out of the question right now.

"I'll be right back." As David walked out of the room I pulled a chair next to my daughter's bed and took her hand.

"You did real good today chipmunk. I'm so proud of you. Ciara, Ali, Fred and your mom are alive because of how brave you were." Just as I leaned forward to kiss her she began to thrash around in her bed, mumbling and crying. I jumped up and pulled her into my arms to wake her. "Catherine wake up." Her eyes fluttered opened and she ripped the oxygen mask off of her face.

"Daddy." She burst into sobs and wrapped her arms tightly around me. "The…building…shaking…I couldn't…save them…I was…all alone." She sobbed into my shoulder. "It was so dark and the screams…everyone was screaming."

"Catherine it was a nightmare." I whispered rubbing her back.

"Mom kept yelling at me to save her but…but…I couldn't reach her and the building collapsed around her." Catherine was hysterical and I couldn't calm her down.

"Sweetie it was just a dream. You got everyone out and they will all be fine."

"It was dark…so dark." She was clinging to me digging her nails in my back from fear. A nurse came in and injected Catherine's IV and within a few seconds she had calmed down to soft sobs. "I hit her. She made me hit her." She mumbled as I laid her back on the bed.

"Shhh. It's okay honey." I told her replacing her oxygen mask. "Just sleep now my sweet girl. Just sleep." Catherine is one of the bravest people I know and seeing her like this, so scared and hysterical scared me to death. When David returned a few minutes later I told him what had happened.

"She's probably suffering from post traumatic stress." He told me.

"From what Fred told me she held it together the whole time that they were trapped. She basically saved all of their lives. I've never seen her lose it like she did just know or when she was on her way out. She really scared me." I told him softly. "It's like she had to be so strong and brave for everyone else that she is just now experiencing the fear."

"That's exactly it. She was pumped on so much adrenaline that she has finally come down from it." David explained.

"My poor girl." I mumbled.

"She's a brave woman. Just like you sir." I took my eyes off my daughter and looked at the man she loved even though she hadn't come right out and told me that herself.

"And you." I said and a look of pride filtered over his face. "Thank you so much for your help today. We wouldn't have been able to save all of those people without you." I stuck out my hand and he took it. "You are a hero in my book David."

"I…I…thank you sir." He mumbled.

"Can I trust you to keep an eye on our girl here? The nurse who gave her the sedative said that she would be out for awhile and I need to go check on Ciara and Ali and Cordy should be out of surgery soon."

"Absolutely."

"Chase or Connor may pop up here to check on her and I'm going to see if I can talk the doctor into putting Cordy in here with her. I think that it would be good for both of them to wake up together."

"I think that will really help Catherine when she wakes up."

"I'll see what I can do." I told him as I walked out of the room.

--

Two hours later Cordy had been moved to Catherine's room and everyone had come out of their surgery's successfully. Cordy's surgeon was able to save her leg but they had to put a few pins on her leg and she was going to need some physical therapy, actually a lot of physical therapy if she ever wanted to walk normally again.

"Hey dad, David." Chase said walking in the room. He had gone home to change and bring me a fresh change of clothes. "How are they?"

"Sleeping. Their doctor's said that they will probably be out for awhile." I answered. "How's Ali?"

"Same thing. Uncle Charles is with her now and I'm heading down to be with her." Chase tossed me a duffel bag. "Here are some clean clothes for you and I grabbed some of mine for you David. I think that we are about the same size so they should work for today until you can get home."

"Thanks Chase. I really appreciate it."

"No problem. Oh Dad, I threw in some dinner for you." He grinned.

"You are the best. I'm starved." I dug in the bag and pulled out the thermos and guzzled the blood. Since we were in the mall and I smelled and saw the human blood I have had such a craving for it. I hoped like hell my pig's blood would help ease my craving.

"I'm going to Ali's room. Call me if there are any problems and I'll be back in the in a little while. Tell them I love them." Chase said.

"I will. Thanks for dinner."

After Chase left I glanced over at David and found him staring at me as I drank my dinner. I quickly realized that I must have looked a little odd and maybe scary. I swallowed the last of the blood and smiled sheepishly at David.

"Sorry about that. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." I told him.

"I'm not uncomfortable. I just think that it's weird." I smiled at that comment. "What does it taste like?"

"Kind of like a copper penny."

"Can you eat normal food?"

"Sure but it doesn't keep me alive."

"Does it taste normal to you?"

"It actually has no taste which according to my kids is a blessing because Cordelia isn't really the best cook." I glanced lovingly at the woman who was lying in the bed. I reached out and took her hand. " Don't get me wrong if something can be microwaved or toasted Cordy is the perfect woman for the job but if something needs to be baked or multiple things are required to be mixed together, not so much but hell, what can I say? I love that woman more than anything."

"Sir I want you to know that I am in love with your daughter and I have every intention of spending the rest of my life loving her and I hope that we can come close to what you and your wife have." I was shocked yet extremely happy.

"David I never apologized to you for sending Chase to spy on you. That was rude and immature and I'm very sorry."

"No need for apologies. Catherine is a very special woman who should be protected. I never want to hurt her."

"I believe that." I stuck out my hand and we shook. "David you are a good man and I'm glad that Catherine found you."

"Thank you sir."

"But just so we are clear, if you do hurt her I will hurt you."

"Perfectly clear."

"Oh and I would appreciate it if you wouldn't mention that little threat to Catherine."

"No need because I'll give you no reason to follow through on it." That boy was not scared of me in the least and he shouldn't be because he truly loved my daughter.

After we changed our clothes we stretched out on the very uncomfortable chairs that the hospital provided for us so we could try to get some sleep. We have been up all night and we were both exhausted, mentally and physically. It was a very emotional day but as we always did we pulled together as a family and saved the day or in this case we saved a bunch of stranger's lives and the lives of our family members- not from something evil but from Mother Nature and dammit I felt pretty good about it.

_**Thanks for reading. Please review.**_


	15. Chapter 15

**I own none of the characters of Angel**

_**Cordelia's POV**_

I was trying to wake up and open my eyes but they felt so heavy. God, was I still in that damn cave in the mall? I remember Catherine telling me that Angel had found us and I remember seeing and talking to Chase. I was finally able to open my eyes and when they focused I realized that I was in a hospital. I saw my hero stretched out beside me sleeping and clutching my hand. I tried to sit up and pain shot through my leg. I tried to keep my groan quiet but super vampire hearing kicked in and Angel woke up.

"Cor are you okay?"

"My leg…hurts…" I mumbled. He reached over me and hit the call button.

"You're leg was crushed. You've had surgery and they put pins in your leg." I felt my eyes fill with tears.

"Will I ever be able to walk again?"

"Yeah Cordy. You'll walk again. You will have to go through a lot of physical therapy but you'll be fine."

"Mrs. Angel. How are you?" A nurse asked.

"My leg hurts." I mumbled tearfully.

"We'll get you something for that as soon as I take your vitals." I nodded and the nurse got to work. Angel never let go of my hand and he stared at me the whole time. "Okay Mrs. Angel. Everything looks good. I'm going to inject some pain medication into your IV and you'll feel better soon."

"Thank you." I watched as she injected something into my IV and within seconds I felt my body begin to relax. I laid my head back and closed my eyes. I felt really good and then suddenly thoughts of my daughter entered my brain and my eyes flew open and I looked at Angel. "Catherine. What happened to Catherine?" I began to sob quietly. "Angel where is our daughter? Is she…" I felt myself growing hysterical and I couldn't help myself. I knew that she wouldn't have left until everyone was out and I knew that the building was unstable and could have collapsed at anytime. "Please don't tell me that she…" I was unable to finish my sentence because Angel took me in his arms and held me tightly, running his fingers through my hair soothing me.

"Cordy calm down sweetheart. Catherine is fine. Everyone is fine." He told me but I wouldn't believe him until I saw her for myself.

"I have to see her Angel. Take me to see her." I begged him frantically.

"Okay." He stood up and pulled the curtain that separated me from my roommate. When the curtain was pulled I saw my daughter lying in the bed next to mine with David stretched out sleeping next to her holding her hand like Angel did with me. "See honey she's fine."

"If she's fine why the hell is she in the bed next to me?" I snapped through my tears.

"Well she's having some breathing problems from breathing in all of that dust and she was dehydrated so they had to give her fluids but other than that she's fine."

"Why isn't she awake?" I knew he was holding something back.

"She's exhausted Cor."

"Angel."

"Okay fine. She woke up hysterical a few hours ago and she had to be sedated."

"Hysterical? Why was she hysterical?"

"She's been through a lot and it crashed down around her but she's a strong girl like her mom and she'll be fine." I burst into tears. "Cordy?"

"I'm not strong Angel. I am a weak woman. I'm her mother and I'm supposed to take care of her but I couldn't. I was so scared and in so much pain…"

"Cordy its okay to be scared."

"I made her hit me Angel. When they tried to move me it hurt so bad I couldn't take the pain so I made her hit me and knock me unconscious because I was too weak to handle the pain. She didn't want to but I made her do it. I made her hit me." I sobbed.

"Cordy calm down. Everything will be okay." I allowed him to hold me until I heard the sweetest voice in the world.

"Mom." My tears immediately stopped and I lifted my head.

"Baby?"

"Are you okay?"

"Angel move my bed next to hers." I demanded and Angel didn't question me. He immediately moved my bed next to our daughter's and I reached out clasped her hand tightly.

"Mommy I'm so sorry I hit you." She blubbered.

"Catherine baby, I'm sorry that I made you hit me." I told her through my sobs. "You were so brave. You saved our lives sweetheart. I am so proud of you."

"I was so scared mommy." It broke my heart to here those words. She only called me mommy when she was hurt or scared.

"It's okay to be scared. You don't have to be brave all of the time. I love you Catherine."

"I love you too." She sniffled. I wished that I could reach out hug her but my damn leg kept me from doing that so I did the next best thing. I just held her hand tightly until the drowsiness from my pain medication took over my body and I fell asleep.

_**Angel's POV**_

Catherine was released from the hospital the next day and Cordy a week later. We practically closed our office the week after the quake because everyone was at home recuperating or was at home with the recuperating patient. Once Cordy was home I worked out a schedule so that either Catherine, or I were at the house with her at all times since she couldn't get around yet on her own. Chase was more then willing to come over and help his mom out but since she needed help with personal things like showering, dressing and using the bathroom neither Chase nor Cordy was comfortable with that.

Cordy drove all of us nuts like she did when was put on bed rest during her pregnancy with Catherine. Cordy was the type of person who hated lying around doing nothing and for the next six weeks that's exactly what she'll be doing so nothing can please her and she tends to complain a lot. On the days when Catherine was with her I would come home more often then not and would find them curled up on our bed together sleeping. It was really cute.

--

Four weeks after she was home was when Cordy had her first major breakdown. I had been out most of the night staking vamps and I had just drifted off when I heard her cussing. "God dammit."

"Cordy?" I groaned.

"Sorry. Go back to sleep." I closed my eyes and tried to go back to sleep but she continued the cursing. I rolled over, pried my eyes open and saw that she had a wire hanger shoved down her cast. I reached out and took it out of her hands. "Angel."

"Cordelia. You can't do that. You can scratch yourself and cause an infection under your cast."

"It itches." She complained.

"Sorry honey."

"Fine." She swung her broken leg out of bed.

"Where are you going?"

"I need to take a piss. Is that okay with you?" She snapped.

"I was just asking. Do you need help?"

"No. I can do it myself."

"Fine." From the corner of my eye I watched as she grabbed her crutches and hobbled to the bathroom. I knew that I wouldn't be going back to sleep anytime soon so I laid there and waited for her to need me and sure enough I heard her struggling. I climbed out of bed and made my way to the bathroom and found her trying to stand on her crutches and pull her pants down at the same time almost in tears. "Cordy let me help you."

"No. I can do it myself."

"Cordelia please, let me help you."

"I hate this." She yelled. "I hate feeling so damn helpless."

"Cor this is just temporary. Only a few more weeks with this cast. You can do it."

"No I can't." Tears began to spill down her cheeks. "I can't pee by myself. I can't shower by myself. I can't do anything." She fell sobbing into my arms. I honestly thought that this would happen sooner. "I'm sorry." She mumbled into my chest.

"Don't be sorry. Can I help you?" She nodded and I assisted her so she could go to the bathroom. When she was done I carried her back to bed and cradled her in my arms.

"I got fired yesterday." She told me. Since the earthquake she hadn't been able to work and her soap opera hired a replacement for her character until her leg healed.

"What? That's discrimination." I snapped.

"Well I wasn't technically fired. My contract is up for renewal and they decided not to renew it. They're killing Margaret off." She sniffed.

"Aww honey. I'm so sorry."

"I just feel like my life is falling apart and I'm losing everything."

"Your life is not falling apart and the only thing that you have lost is a job. You can always find another one. You know that you always have a place at Angel Investigations don't you?" She nodded. "And you can retire if you want babe. We have enough money so you don't have to work."

"I'll get bored."

"Don't worry Cordelia. We'll find something to keep you occupied."

"I feel like such a loser." Her eyes filled with tears again.

"Cordy, honey, you are not a loser. That soap opera was stupid to let you go. You are an amazing actress, an amazing mother and amazing wife. So you can't go to the bathroom, shower or walk on your own right now? Who cares? I know you feel helpless right now and to a point you are and you need some help right now and Cordy that's okay and that's what family is for, to help those who need it, when they need whether it's to give a hug when someone is sad, kick someone's ass when that someone hurts one of us or to help you use the bathroom. Me, Catherine and Chase we love you and we want to take care of you. Will you let us?" She looked up at me, no longer crying but tears still shining in her eyes and she had a small smile on her face.

"I'm the luckiest woman to have such a wonderful family."

"We're the lucky ones Cordelia. You have no idea how important you are to our family. We wouldn't be a family without you." I slowly kissed her. "Never forget that babe."

"There is something I need that only you can take care of." She said with a coy smile playing on her lips.

"What's that?"

"I need sex. We haven't had sex in a month and I'm so horny." I had to laugh. I felt the same way. Going from having sex nearly every night to going a month without was killing me. I guess we have been making up for all the years that we weren't able to have sex.

"Cordy you have a broken leg that is in a cast up to your hip."

"I still have one leg that can bend."

"You are such a pervert. I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't hurt me." She batted her eyelashes and I was powerful to resist.

"Tell me if I hurt you." I requested.

"I will." She lifted her arms and I removed her tee shirt. She grinned as I eyed her breasts hungrily. I gently laid her back on the bed and removed her sweat pants and underwear. Since I had just gotten into bed when her breakdown happened I was just in my boxers so those easily and quickly came off.

"Cordy are you sure about this?" I asked her one last time. I was terrified that I would hurt her.

"Hell yeah I'm sure." Grinning I positioned myself above her and my lips and body descended onto hers and the two of us became one.

_**Chase's POV**_

I was surprised when I walked into my apartment and found Ali on my couch. She had a key and she came and went as she pleased but I talked to her an hour ago and she told me she was going to a study group with some of her classmates. I walked over and sat next to her on the couch, kissing her as I did. "Hey sweetheart. What's going on?"

"I'm late." She mumbled.

"Then what are you doing here? Go on and get going so you're not any later."

"I'm not going to the study group." I was so confused.

"Because you're late?"

"Not that late. I'm late Chase."

"Late for what Al?"

"My period Chase. My period is late."

"What?" I whispered. This really can not be happening..

"You heard me." She snapped.

"Well it's no reason to panic right? Periods are late all the time and that doesn't necessarily mean pregnancy?" I said desperately.

"I'm never late Chase."

"But how? We've always been so careful."

"Remember the day I was released from the hospital after the earthquake. With me being in the hospital I didn't take my pill and then we were so…anxious that you didn't use a condom." I couldn't help but smile even though Ali glared at me. The sex we had that day was so hot, desperate and passionate; it was amazingly wonderful.

"Have you taken a test?" She shook her head and pulled a bag out of her purse.

"Chase what if it's positive? What will we do?" I reached out and took her hand.

"Why don't we take the test and go from there? We shouldn't panic until we know the result." She nodded and stood up.

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"I think I can pee on my own. I've been doing it for years." She snipped and headed for the bathroom.

"Al?" She stopped and turned to look at me. "No matter what that test result is positive of negative I love you."

"I know." She said softly before disappearing into the bathroom.

I waited impatiently for her to return. I moved from my spot on the couch and began pacing. I knew, without seeing the results that my life was about to change and that scared me. I was twenty years old and I had no idea if I was ready to be a father but I always knew that every time I made love to Ali becoming a father was a risk.

"Chase?"

"Is it done?"

"We have to wait three minutes. It's on the counter. Will you sit with me?" She asked, her voice shaking with fear. I reached out for her hand and together we walked into the bathroom where our future awaited us.

As soon as I walked in the bathroom I glanced on the counter and saw the glaring plus sign on the pregnancy test. Ali was pregnant. We were going to be parents. I was going to be a dad and Ali was going to be a mom. We were going to have a baby. "Ali, sweetheart it's positive." I whispered and she burst into tears. I easily lifted her into my arms, carried her back into the living room and sat her on my lap, holding her tightly.

"My dad is going to kill me." She whispered. "Actually, he's going to kill you." She mumbled into my chest.

"Yeah I guessed that."

"Chase what the hell are we going to do? I'm only 18. I'm in college. What about law school? How am I supposed to finish law school and have a baby? I didn't plan on having as baby so soon."

"What are you saying Ali? Do you want an abortion?" The thought terrified me.

"No…I…no Chase. I don't want an abortion. I 'm just scared and overwhelmed. What will my dad say? What will your parent's say? How am I going to raise a baby on my own after my dad kills you?" I had to laugh. "Seriously though Chase how the hell are we going to do this? Who will the baby stay with? Every other night with one of us? Are we going to have to buy two of everything?" She was starting to over think the situation.

"Ali you're like a minute pregnant. We don't have to figure out all of this right this minute. We have eight or nine months to work all of the details out."

"Yes we do." Ali is a person who has to have everything planned out. "I can't let our baby be born not knowing where it will be going home after it's born."

"I know the easiest way to solve that problem."

"Chase there is no easy solution. I'm pregnant. We are going to bring another life into this world. What the hell is so easy about that?" She was on a roll.

"Let's get married. It would solve all of our problems. Your dad would be less like to kill your husband and the father of your baby. We'll get another apartment with two bedrooms and then you'll know exactly where the baby will go after it's born."

"What about school? If I get married dad probably won't pay for college and law school. Chase I really want to be a lawyer."

"We'll work it out. I've got money saved. I'll take care of you and our baby."

"To keep you alive isn't a good enough reason to get married." She said stubbornly.

"Fine. How about this reason? I love you Al. You've been my best friend my whole life and I've loved you for so long. I've known for years that you and I would one day get married so let's make one day now. Let's get married tomorrow."

"Tomorrow…how?"

"Let's go downtown to city hall and get married by the justice of the peace. You've always said that you never wanted a huge big shindig. We can get married at city hall and then have a party later on to celebrate. What do you say?" I lifted Ali off of my lap and placed her on the couch next to me. I then pulled myself off of the couch, got down on one knee and took her hand. "Ali Gunn. I love you so much. Will you marry me?"

"Yes Chase. Yes I will marry you." She threw herself off of the couch, into my arms and we made love to celebrate our new commitment to each other.

An hour later we lay naked on the couch, tangled up in each other's arms, wrapped up in a blanket sharing soft kisses. "Chase." She mumbled

"Hmmm?"

"Chase stop." She giggled as I nuzzled her neck. "I need you to be serious."

"Okay." I reluctantly pulled myself away from her neck, she curled herself into my side and I placed my hand on her still flat belly. "What's up?"

"I've been thinking."

"And?"

"You're right. I don't want a big giant wedding. I never did want that but I don't want to get married at City Hall."

"What do you want? We'll do whatever you want sweetheart."

"How does Vegas sound?" She asked me with a twinkle in her eye.

"It sounds perfect. We'll leave in the morning." She shook her head and now I was confused.

"Not tomorrow."

"Okay…when?"

"Chase I want a small Vegas wedding but I want that with our families there." Her eyes filled with tears. "I want my dad to walk me down the aisle."

"That means that we'll have to tell them."

"I know but I can't get married without my dad and your family with us. Your mom has been like a second mother to me since my mom died. They should be with us."

"You're right Ali. They should be with us."

"So we can tell them tomorrow and then get married on Saturday." She said happily.

"If that's what you want then that's what we'll do."

"It's what I want. I want to marry you with our family there to support us."

"Al what if they don't support us?" It wasn't my parents that I was worried about. I had a very strong feeling that her dad would not be okay with this which was one reason why I wanted to sneak off and get married but she was right. We had to give him the chance to bless our marriage and baby.

"I don't want to think about that; not right now. I only want to think about you and our baby." She lifted her head and kissed me softly. "I love you Chase."

"I love you too Ali and I'm going to be the best husband and father ever."

"I know you will. You had an excellent role model."

"That I did." My dad was the best father that a kid could ask for and I know he has been a good husband to my mother. I see everyday how happy he makes her and I can only hope that one day I can be half the man and father that he is.

_**Sorry for the delay in posting. My computer broke and I had internet issues. Thanks again for reading, Please review.**_


	16. Chapter 16

**I own none of the characters of Angel**

_**Chase's POV**_

"Wow mama. You're moving around pretty good." I told my mom as she limped slowly over to me with her cane.

"You're such a liar but I love you anyways." She finally made it to my side and I leaned down to kiss her.

"Thanks for letting us come over." I said.

"Of course. Care to give me a hint as to the occasion?"

"You'll have to wait like everyone else." My mom stuck her lower lip out like a kid. "Sorry mom."

My parents had agreed to have Uncle Charles, his girlfriend Mia, Ali and I over for dinner so we could tell them our news. I had a feeling that mom had figured out that we were going to announce our engagement because of the silly grin she had plastered on her face all night but I knew she had no idea about the pregnancy unless of course The Powers That Be sent her a vision.

"So are you guys going to tell us what is going on?" Mom asked anxiously after we had finished dessert. I glanced at Ali who was staring at the floor. She has been a nervous wreck. I reached out, grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. Her sweaty palm clutched my tightly.

"We have something to tell you guys and we hope that you will be as happy and support our decision." I took a deep breath and allowed my eyes to travel around the room, looking at everyone. "Ali and I are pregnant and we are going to Las Vegas this weekend to get married and we hope that you all will be there with us." I knew that Catherine, David, Connor and Ciara were coming because I already gave them the news and they were very excited and happy for us.

For a very long minute the room was silent and then suddenly it became a flurry of activity and before I knew it my uncle/soon to be father in law sucker punched me in the face. Ali started crying, mom started yelling and in a flash dad had Uncle Charles by the throat up against the wall.

"Don't EVER touch my son." He growled.

"Angel let him go." Mom yelled using her cane to hit his arm but it was no use. His grip remained iron tight.

"What gives you the right to think you could put your hands on my son?" Rubbing my jaw I snapped back to reality and I knew that I had to stop my dad before he killed Charles.

"Dad let him go." I demanded as I strode over to them but he didn't budge. He continued to stare at his friend. "Dad let him go." I gave him another second and when he didn't release him I grabbed his arm and yanked it away.

"Jesus Angel, are you trying to kill him?" Mom shouted.

"He…did you see what he did to Chase?" Dad stuttered.

"I can handle myself dad." I snapped.

"This wedding is not happening." Uncle Charles told Ali. I guess he finally got his breath back. "You will not marry him."

"I love him daddy and we are having a baby." Ali sobbed. "I am going to marry him."

"No you're not."

"I am eighteen; a legal adult. I can get married if I want to and I want to."

"How the hell do you plan on finishing college with a baby?"

"The college has free daycare for its students." Ali told him.

"Well then how do you plan on paying for the rest of your education? Law school isn't cheap." I saw the fury sweep across Ali's face at her father's words.

"How the hell would you know?" She shouted at her father. "You had a damn implant put into your brain. You never went to law school. In fact you didn't even finish high school."

"I will take care of Ali." I piped up but I don't think that either of them heard me.

"In case you have forgotten I am a genius. I am sure that I can get scholarships to help me pay for and finish school."

"I do not approve of this wedding Ali." Charles said softly.

"I want but I don't need your approval." Ali told him and he stormed out of the living room and out onto the deck. Mom quickly came over and took Ali in her arms.

"Don't worry sweetheart. Everything will be all right." Mom crooned. Since I saw that Ali was in good hands I went out on the deck.

"Look I know you're angry." I began.

"You have no idea Chase." He muttered.

"I have known you my entire life. I respect and love you but right now my love for Ali overshadows everything that I feel for you. I hope that you know how much I love your daughter. My whole life revolves around her. I promise you right now I don't care what I have to do but I will make sure Ali finishes law school and becomes a lawyer because that is her dream; to be just like her father. I am going to spend the rest of my life loving and making Ali and our child or children happy. I just hope that you are in our lives to see it." I turned away from him and headed back to my parent's living room but paused before I opened the door and said to him "Just so you know Ali and I planned to elope but she changed her mind because more than anything she wants her father to walk her down the aisle." I walked back into the house, kissed my mother goodbye, hugged my dad and took my sobbing fiancé back to my apartment.

_**Angel's POV**_

I was fuming around the living room after Chase and Ali left. This shouldn't have gone down like it did. This should have been a happy time for my son and the girl he loved. Ali doesn't need the added stress to her pregnancy. I started in on Gunn the moment he walked back into the living room.

"What the hell is your problem? How can you be so horrible to your daughter?" I shouted at my friend.

"This is not what I wanted for her." He yelled back.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Cordy had now joined in our shouting match.

"A pregnant teenager forced to get married." Gunn spat.

"Technically she is a teenager but she is legally an adult. Secondly she isn't being forced to get married Gunn. They are in love and you know damn well that they would have gotten married eventually. The baby just is moving them along." I said.

"She deserves a better life then this." Gunn mumbled. "She is too damn young to get married and have a baby. Now she will have to struggle to get through college while raising a child and financially she won't be able to make ends meet."

"The only reason that she and Chase will struggle financially is because you are refusing to finish paying for college." Cordy snapped. "If we have to Angel and I will pay for Ali's school so they won't have to worry. We saved money for the kid's college but they never used it so it's just sitting in an account. Ali has always been a part of our family and this weekend it will become official and we always take care of family."

"I don't want her to get hurt." Gunn shouted.

"You have known Chase his whole damned life." I shouted back. "You know hurting Ali is the last thing in the world that he would ever do."

"Not on purpose." He softly said. Cordy walked over and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"What are you really afraid of Gunn?" She asked. He sat heavily on the couch and placed his head in his hands. Mia joined him and rested her hand on his knee. No one spoke and the only sound we could hear was the clock ticking. Finally after five minutes of silence Gunn raised his head and looked at us with tears shining in his eyes.

"I love Ali so damn much."

"We know that." Cordy told him.

"Like any father I don't want my little girl to get her heart broken…like I did." Gunn took a deep breath and with a shaking voice he continued. "This life…this world that we live in…the work that he does…the work that I used to do…he can die. When I lost Justine it almost killed me. The pain and loneliness was practically unbearable and my little girl…she was left without a mother all because of the life she lived: the same life that Chase lives. I don't want that for my daughter. That's why I left and became a normal lawyer. I took Ali away from this life so she wouldn't have to go through what I did."

"Gunn you never took her away from this life." I told him. "Sure you quit working for me but you and Ali remained part of our lives; birthday parties, holidays and just hanging out; you never really left. Ali and Chase have been best friends since they could talk. They've been dating for years. Ali tried to break up with Chase because of this life but if you recall she was miserable. They belong together Gunn and they're having a baby. They are going to get married with or without your support but your daughter really needs your support."

"I need some time." Gunn said. He pulled himself up, grabbed Mia's hand and they slipped out of the door.

"I swear to God, I will use my demon powers to send him flying across the city if he doesn't show up for the wedding." Cordy seethed. "He needs to be there."

"He will Cor. You know that he has a short fuse; acts before he thinks." I tried to reassure her. "He'll come to his senses and make amends with Ali." She came over and sat on my lap and wrapped her arms around my neck.

"Angel we're having a grandbaby." Her smile was as big as I've ever seen it. "There is going to be another part of you and me in this world." Cordy had tears in her eyes.

"Our baby boy is going to be a dad." I whispered. I could hardly believe that Chase was going to be a father. I still remember the day he was born, the first time that I held him in my arms, his first word, his first step, and his first day of school and now my son was going to experience the wonders of fatherhood like I did.

"You know how we were talking about what I'm going to do with my life once my leg heals."

"Yes I remember." I wondered where this was going.

"Instead of getting a regular job I'm going to talk to Chase and Ali and see if they would let me watch their baby. It makes no sense to send their child to daycare when it has a perfectly capable grandmother willing to watch it."

"Cordy that's a perfect idea."

"Of course it is. It's my idea." She said smugly.

"Do you ever doubt anything?" I asked her with a grin. I loved her confidence.

"Not when it comes to my family." I leaned in and placed my lips to hers and kissed her until she suddenly broke away. "Oh my God. I have to plan a wedding." She got off my lap, grabbed her cane and slowly shuffled to the kitchen to begin making phone calls. Within ten minutes Cordy handed me a list of things to do and she lovingly demanded that I get busy which of course I did because I loved her and my son and I wanted him to have a perfect wedding day.

_**Chase's POV**_

"Can I help you?" I asked him when I opened the door.

"Can I talk to her please?" Charles begged me. I opened my door further so he could step inside.

"Give me a second. She's sleeping." I told him. "Have a seat and make yourself comfortable." He nodded and made his way over to the couch while I went to our room to wake Ali. "Hey babe." I whispered as I gently shook her awake.

"Ummph?" She struggled to open her swollen eyes. My poor girl cried herself to sleep when we got home. In fact, she cried the entire way home.

"Hon, you're dad is here. He wants to talk to you." She nodded, climbed out of bed, put my robe on, which was slowly becoming hers.

"Come with me." She asked.

"Of course." We linked hands and returned to the living room where her father was waiting.

"Daddy." She said.

"Will you sit with me?" He asked.

"I would prefer to stand." Charles nodded and Ali clenched my hand tightly.

"Look baby girl, I'm so sorry. I just want you to be happy and I overreacted."

"If you want me to be happy why would you overreact like you did?" Ali asked her dad tearfully.

"My first gut reaction was Chase's life, job is so dangerous and I'm afraid for you, for Chase and for your baby. I immediately jumped back in time…to your mom and to the pain that we both went through… Al…I just don't want you to go through that." Tears slid down his cheeks and Ali released my hand and went to sit with him grabbing his hand.

"Daddy I'm afraid too but I love Chase…so much and I want to spend as much time with him as I can even if it's not for long. I don't want to be without him." She took a deep breath. "I remember how happy you and mommy were. You were always smiling and so much in love. I love Chase and I want a marriage like you had. I want that kind of happiness and I don't want our baby to be without his father. You were such an important part of my life; the most important part for so many years and I want that for my child and I want this baby to know its grandfather."

"You are my daughter Ali, the most important person in my life and I want you to experience the same happiness that your mother and I had for twelve wonderful years and I want to know my grandchild. Please baby girl can you ever forgive me?" Ali wrapped her arms around her father's neck and they both cried. Standing there watching them I felt like a major outsider watching this intimate moment so I made myself scarce into and went into the kitchen and started washing dishes.

I was drying the last plate when I heard Charles come in. "I owe you an apology Chase." He told me.

"No you don't. If this baby is a girl I'm sure that I would react the same way."

"Yes I do. I couldn't ask for a better man to marry my daughter. I know that you will take good care of her and the baby. I'll be proud to call you my son." I couldn't speak. I was too choked up to utter a sound so I just hugged him.

_**Cordy's POV**_

"You look so beautiful sweetheart." I told Ali. We were at the chapel in Vegas waiting for the wedding to begin. She was wearing a simple straight white dress that went to her ankles. Simple always worked best for Ali. She was just like her mom. Justine never was into frill or really girly things and Ali is just like that. If she could or if I would have let her she would have walked down the aisle in jeans and a tee-shirt.

"I'm not used to this." She said touching her hair that was French braided.

"It's perfect honey. Chase will lose it when he sees you walking down the aisle."

"I'm nervous and I don't understand why. I love Chase and I want to marry him."

"It's natural to be nervous Ali. I was nervous when I married Angel and I knew that we were meant to be together." Instead of responding she continued to stare at the mirror at herself. "Don't worry honey. Everything will be fine." She turned at looked at me, her eyes filled with unshed tears.

"Aunt Cordy I am so glad that you are here today."

"I love you. Of course I would be here." Not to mention that it was my son's wedding after all.

"You have been like a second mother to me since my mom died. You were there when I started my period and I was too embarrassed to talk to my dad; You gave me the sex talk when my dad was embarrassed to do it himself; you celebrated birthday's with me; you cried with me; You've just been there and now in a half hour it will be official. We will officially be family."

"Oh Ali we have always been family and we will always be family."

"Can I ask you something?" She asked me so quietly I could barely hear her.

"You know that you can ask me anything." I reached out for her hand.

"I…uhhh…after the wedding…I…ummm…would it…can I…"

"Oh for pete sakes Ali. Just spit it out." I blurted out.

"Can I call you mom?" She blurted.

"I would be honored Ali." I pulled her close to me and we hugged tightly.

"It's time girls." Catherine said with a huge grin causing us to pull apart. "Chase is about to pace a hole in the floor if we don't get this party started." Catherine was standing up for Ali and Connor was standing up for Chase. "Al your dad is waiting in the hall and mom Dad is waiting to escort you down the aisle."

"I'm ready." Ali said reaching for her bouquet. I leaned forward and kissed her cheek.

"I'll see you in the chapel." She nodded with tears in her eyes and I slipped out of the room, leaving the girls alone.

As soon I stepped out into the hall I saw Angel and Gunn standing there waiting patiently. Angel walked over and kissed me gently.

"How is she?" Gunn asked nervously.

"She's nervous but happy. She's ready for you." He nodded, smiled at us and went to retrieve his daughter.

"What about you? How are you doing?" Angel asked me as I linked my arm through his.

"I'm not the one getting married. I'm fine."

"Your baby is getting married." He reminded me.

"I know." We walked or Angel walked and I shuffled with my cane into the chapel and as soon as I saw my son standing at the front of the wedding chapel in his suit, looking just like his father tears filled my eyes. As Angel and I neared the front Chase left his spot and linked his arm with my other arm and the three of us finished the journey.

"I love you mama." He whispered tearfully.

"I love you too baby." I kissed him and sat in my seat watching as Angel and Chase hugged each other.

"We did it sweetheart." Angel whispered in a choked voice. "We raised a child into a good man who is going to have a child of his own. We did good."

"We sure did." I said wistfully looking at Chase.

_**Chase's POV**_

My mom is an emotional person so it didn't shock me much that mom was sitting there with tears streaming down her face but the tears in dad's eyes surprised me. As soon as I heard the doors open in the back of the chapel open all thoughts of my parents disappeared. I smiled at my sister who came down the aisle before my Ali. Catherine as always looked great. In fact she looked a lot like mom. They had the same smile.

As soon as Catherine reached the altar Ali and her dad appeared and she took my breath away. She is most comfortable in sweat pants, one of my tee shirts, hair in a sloppy pony tail and no makeup so seeing her in a dress, with her hair all done up and makeup just reiterated how beautiful she really was. Before I realized what was happening tears were falling from my cheeks.

"Take care of my girl son." Charles told me as he joined mine and Ali's hands together.

"Yes sir, I will." I promised.

Our ceremony was short, simple and to the point, like Ali and me. Charles had given me Justine's wedding ring to give to Ali. She didn't want a fancy diamond ring, just a band. She cried when I slipped the ring on her finger and she realized that it was her mother's. When we were pronounced husband and wife we shared our first kiss as husband and wife among the cheers of our families and friends.

After the wedding we all went to dinner, thanks to mom, dad and Charles. During dinner all of them surprised the hell out of Ali and I. Charles arranged for Ali and me to stay in Vegas for the rest of the week for a honeymoon.

After we found out about our honeymoon dad handed us an envelope. I gave it to Ali to open and when she pulled out what was inside her mouth dropped open in shock. She handed it to me and I was shocked to see a deed to a house with Ali and my name on it. "I don't understand." I told my parents.

"It's your wedding present." Dad said.

"It's a house not a wedding gift." I stuttered.

"It's always been your dad's and my idea all along to buy your first house for you when you got married. It's nothing extreme; just a small three bedroom home in a nice, safe neighborhood." Mom explained.

"I…I don't know what to say." I mumbled.

"How about thank you?" Dad said with a grin.

"Thank you." Ali burst out. She jumped up and hugged my parents, her parents now too. I quickly stood and joined Ali in thanking mom, dad and Charles.

"Does this mean that I'll get a house too?" My sister quipped from the table.

"Guess what Cat? Today isn't about you. It's about me and Ali." I told her with a grin and she stuck her tongue out at me. Some things will never change. I pulled Ali to my side. "Thank you all so much for being here on this special day. It means so much to both of us to have the people we love most in the world here on our wedding day." Our family all stood and applauded.

After we exchanged hugs and kisses Ali and I managed to escape to our honeymoon suite. Wanting to be a traditional groom I easily lifted my bride up in my arms and carried her over the threshold to the bed.

"I love you my beautiful wife." I whispered softly as I climbed on top of her. She reached up and wrapped her arms around my neck.

"And you my handsome, incredibly sexy husband I love you so much. I have never been happier then I am right now." She told me.

"Oh Al, I feel the same way." My lips descended onto hers and we began our lives together as husband and wife.

_**Thanks so much for reading. Please review.**_


	17. Chapter 17

**I own none of the characters of Angel**

_**Catherine's POV**_

"Come on. We have to get a good seat." I demanded.

"Catherine, sweetheart the ceremony doesn't for another two hours."

"I know that mom but we have to be close so I can get good pictures." I glanced at my watch as my mom and I made our way towards the front of the auditorium. "Where is everyone at? David needs our support." Mom reached out and grabbed my hand, stopping me.

"You and I are going to save the seats and then everyone else will be here before the ceremony starts. Sitting for two hours prior and then another two hours during won't be very comfortable for Ali and there will be more shade in the next hour so it will be easier for your dad to get in so just relax and let's find us some seats." Mom said calmly.

"Okay mom."

Today was David's graduation ceremony from nursing school and he was the class valedictorian and I was so proud of him. Since his father was MIA my family had become like family to him so they too, were very proud of him and excited to see him graduate.

"Is this close enough baby girl?" Mom asked me with a smirk. She had stopped at the front row.

"Yes smart ass. This will be fine as long as there are enough seats for all of us and one of those seats are on the end for Mrs. "I have to pee every five minutes." oh and are we out of direct sunlight? I don't want daddy bursting into flames during David's speech."

"Yeah we definitely don't want your dad bursting into flames ruining David's speech." Mom said with grin.

"Obviously." Mom and I counted out seats for Dad, Chase, Ali, Connor, Ciara and each of us.

"So things are going well between you and David?" Mom asked me once we settled in our seats.

"Perfect."

"Are you two… you know?"

"Mom!"

"What? Can't a girl be curious?"

"You're my mom." I felt my face turning red.

"You've always told me everything but if you're too embarrassed to talk to me I understand."

"It's not that. We're in public."

"Okay sweetheart. I understand." Mom smiled at me and then pretended to read the program.

"Yeah mom. We are." I whispered softly.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" She practically shrieked.

"Mom! Keep your voice down." I whispered.

"Sorry baby. I'm just so happy for you."

"Thanks mom."

"Are you two in love?"

"We have been together for almost a year. What do you think?"

"I'm not sure. That's why I'm asking."

"He is the best thing that has ever happened to me mom. He treats me like I'm a princess. He treats me like daddy treats you. Every time I see him or hear his voice I still get butterflies in my stomach. Every time we kiss my heart beats a million times a minute so to answer your question yeah mom, I love him. I love him so much."

"Oh baby." Mom had tears in her eyes.

"Is that you still feel about dad after all these years? Does your heart still beat like crazy whenever he kisses you? Do you still get butterflies in you stomach when you hear his voice?"

"Every time he kisses me I feel like it's the first time. In fact everything that you described about David is what I feel with your father even after all these years."

"So I guess that I'm really in love then huh?" I asked my mom.

"Yeah Catherine. You're in love."

"I thought so. I guess I just needed your confirmation."

"Sweetie, You've got great instincts like your dad and I. Follow them and your heart and you'll always be fine."

"Thanks mom."

_**Angel's POV**_

"The front row?...Okay…Tell her to relax. We are all here…We'll be there in a few minutes." I closed my cell phone. "Of course they are in the very front row. We better get moving because Catherine is on the verge of a heart attack." I explained to my son's and daughter in laws who were with me.

"I need a bathroom before we sit down." Ali said with a smile and Chase groaned.

"There is a bathroom over on the left. Come on. I'll go with you." Ciara said leading Ali to the bathroom.

"I never knew one person could pee so much." Chase said.

"When your mom was pregnant with you I never thought she would come out of the bathroom. She was either peeing or puking. It's all a part of pregnancy." I wisely told my son.

"And your job as her husband and the baby's father is to make sure that there is always a bathroom readily available and when there isn't one available it is your fault. Be prepared to take responsibility for that grievance error." Connor said wisely.

"Four more months." Chase mumbled.

"How is she feeling?" Connor asked his brother.

"She's good. Exhausted. Her classes are hard but she's hanging in there."

"Have you guys chose a name yet?" Connor continued to inquire.

"Yep."

"And you're not telling?"

"Nope."

"Come on. I'm you're brother. You can trust me."

"You're not going to get it out of him. Cordy has been hounding him since they found out the sex of the baby and Chase hasn't cracked yet and if he hasn't cracked under the pressure that his mother has been applying then he'll never crack."

"You'll just have to wait until she is born like everyone else to find out her name." Ali said rejoining to the group.

"Nothing I could do to get you to change your mind?" Connor said with a wink.

Ali placed her hands protectively on her growing belly. "Not a thing."

"Come on guys. We better get a move on." I instructed my kids. It was becoming crowded so it was slow moving and by the time we got to our seats we only had five minutes until the graduation started.

"Where have you guys been?" Catherine demanded.

"It's crowded sweetheart. We couldn't push people down to get here faster. That would have just been rude." I said with a smile. Catherine just sent me a dirty look and huffed into her seat. I leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "You are just like your mother." I whispered as I sat down next to her.

"Thank you daddy. I'll take that as a compliment." She said smugly.

"You should." She sent me a small grin and then shared small talk with Ali and Ciara until the music started and then her focus was solely on the graduates or more accurately David. I looked over Catherine's head and smiled at Cordy. My little girl had no idea that her life was going to change tonight.

A couple weeks ago David came to the house one night when Catherine was spending the evening with at Chase and Ali's decorating the baby's nursery. At first I was surprised to see him at the house without Catherine by his side but when I smelled how nervous and scared he was I knew exactly why he was there and why she wasn't with him.

"_David what brings you over this evening?" I asked as Cordy brought him into the living room. _

"_I…uhh…umm…I…" He stammered. I couldn't stop the smile that crossed my face and I guess that Cordy couldn't stop the slap that she gave me across my head. Luckily David was staring at the ground and missed it._

"_David can I get you something to drink?" Cordy asked him._

"_No thank you ma'am." He replied nervously. _

"_David is everything okay?" Cordy asked him gently. _

"_I…ummm…I…God…uhhh"_

"_Come on boy. Spit it out." I said._

"_Angel!" That earned me another slap. _

"_Catherine and I have been together for almost a year and I want you both to know how much I love her." _

"_How much do you love her?" I asked him and Cordy glared at me. _

"_More than I could possibly put into words. I would give my life for her."_

"_That's an acceptable answer." I said. _

"_I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I want to marry Catherine and I am here to ask your permission for her hand in marriage. If you both will give me your blessing I will promise you both that I will spend the rest of my life loving her the way that she deserves to be loved. I will put her first in everything. I will love her with everything that I have. Do I have your blessing to ask your daughter's hand in marriage?"_

"_Of course you have our blessing David." Cordy answered and I nodded in agreement. "We have both seen how happy you make her."_

"_No matter how old my daughter is you should know that she will always be my little girl." I told him. _

"_I understand that sir." David said bravely. _

"_And if someone…anyone hurts my little girl there will be hell to pay." _

"_Angel." Cordy practically growled but I ignored her. _

"_Sir, I will never, ever hurt her." _

"_You better not." I turned vamp. "Because you know what I am capable of when I get mad and nothing makes me madder then my little girl hurting." I stared him down and to his benefit David never wavered from my menacing vampire gaze and he stared right back at me. _

"_Angel you're being ridiculous. Now knock it off." Cordelia demanded and I turned back. _

"_So we have an understanding young man?" I asked David._

"_Yes sir. We do." He replied. _

"_Besides her mother, Catherine is the most precious creature in this world and you will treat her as such. Do I make myself clear?" _

"_Crystal." I smiled at him. _

"_You know it used it be all about me. I was the first one to hold her. I was the first man she loved. She once told me she was going to marry me. It's hard to let all of that go but I am confident that you will love her almost as much as I love her." _

"_Not almost. More." _

"_Not possible kid." I stuck my hand out and David took it. "Congratulations son. Welcome to the family." Cordy then pushed me out of the way and hugged David. _

"_They say that girls marry men just like their fathers and you are a wonderful man just like her father." She whispered to David but my super vampire hearing allowed me to hear every word. "Except for the times when he's an ass like today." That she said loud enough for me to hear. "I am so happy that you and Catherine found each other."_

"_Thank you. Catherine is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Can I show you her ring to get your opinion on it?" David asked Cordy nervously. _

"_Absolutely." Cordy clapped her hands like a child. David reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box and handed it to Cordy. She waved me over and she slowly opened it. "David it's gorgeous." _

"_Do you think she'll like it?" _

"_She'll love it." Cordy assured him and a look of relief passed over his face. _

_David stayed around for a few more minutes and then left because he was supposed to meet Catherine at Chase's house and he didn't want to be late. As soon as the door was shut Cordy laid into me. _

"_What the hell was that about?" She snapped. _

"_What are you talking about?" I asked innocently sitting on the couch._

"_Why in the hell were you giving David such a hard time? I thought you liked him." _

"_I do. I like him a lot." _

"_So why did you give him so much shit?" _

"_Marriage is a big step and I wanted to make sure he's ready to take it." _

"_Make sure he's ready to take it or make sure you're ready to take it?" I sighed and Cordy sat on my lap._

"_I'll never be able to fully let her go Cor. She's my little girl." Cordy wrapped her arms around my neck._

"_Baby you don't have to fully let her go. You're her father and you're always going to have a special place in her life. You're just no longer the most important man in her life anymore and Angel, you haven't been for awhile now." She said wisely. _

"_I know. It's…what about if she doesn't need me anymore?" I asked sadly. _

"_You are her daddy. She will always need you." _

"_Promise?" I looked at Cordy with tears in my eyes. I think that was my biggest fear. _

"_Yes baby I promise." I looked at her quizzically and she raised her eyebrows. "Have I ever broken a promise before?"_

"_No." _

"_And I'm not going to start now so trust me." _

"_I always do." Smiling she leaned forward and pressed her lips to mine making me forget all of my worries. _

As I watched my soon to be son graduate from nursing school and give his valedictorian speech I felt a sense of pride swell through my body. David has had a rough life and I hated that he had to go through and struggle to pay for it all on his own because his dad had abandoned him. I couldn't imagine ever abandoning Catherine or Chase for any reason. This past semester David really struggled to pay for school and Cordy and I offered to help him out but David was a prideful man and he refused any help from us. I hated that he was so prideful and wouldn't accept any help from us but it also made me confident in knowing that David would always provide for Catherine and their family.

David and I have had a few conversations regarding his parents. He felt extremely guilty over the death of his mother. He felt that if he wasn't driving the car, if his reflexes were faster maybe the accident could have been avoided and it didn't help that his father blamed him. Since carrying guilt was something that I was an expert on I was able to relate well to what David was feeling. I tried to tell him that the accident wasn't his fault; he wasn't the one driving drunk but it didn't work. He still blamed himself. I decided that I needed to find David's father and have a conversation with him. Hopefully, I could convince him to talk to David and maybe it would help alleviate his guilt. Guilt was something that David did not need to live with for the rest of his life.

"Congratulations son." I said proudly after everyone else had offered their own congratulations.

"Thank you."

"I'm very proud of you." Surprising us all David embraced me.

"Thank you for being here." He whispered in my ear tearfully. "It means so much to me that you came."

"You're family. Where else would I be?" I whispered hugging him back.

_**Catherine's POV**_

"What are we doing here?" I asked David when he pulled in the beach parking lot. We had just left the restaurant where we enjoyed a celebratory dinner with my family.

"I want to go for a walk. Are you up for it?" He asked me with a smile.

"It's your day so whatever you want is fine with me." We got out of the car, I took off my heels, he took off his shoes and socks, rolled his pants up to mid-calf and then took my hand.

"Today was a great day wasn't it?" He asked about ten minutes into our walk.

"It sure was. I got some great pictures. I'm going to get them developed tomorrow and start making your scrapbook."

"You don't have to do that."

"Yes I do. I am so proud of you and I want to remember this day always."

"Oh I think you will." He said with a grin.

"What is that supposed to mean? This is your day." David stopped walking, turned to face me and took both of my hands in his.

"Catherine I love you."

"Oh God are you breaking up with me?" I felt tears fill my eyes.

"Cat why would I bring you for a nice romantic walk on the beach to break up with you?"

"I…I don't know." I sniffed as a tear slipped from my eye. David gently wiped it away.

"Catherine I love you." I opened my mouth to say speak but he put a finger in front of my lips. "Woman will you let me speak?" I nodded. "Let me try this again. Catherine I love you. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. You have made my life complete. I can't think of tomorrow or my future without thinking of you." I watched in shock as he dropped down on one knee. "I want my future to be with you." He pulled a box out of his pocket and opened it. "Catherine Suzanne Angel will you marry me?"

I kinda figured that a proposal was coming soon. We had been together for almost a year but I was still shocked to see the man I loved down on one knee holding a ring asking me to marry him. "So now you decide not to talk? That's a first." David said with a smirk. "So Cat…will you marry me?" I could only nod. "I'm sorry sweetheart. I didn't hear you." David was milking this and loving every minute of it and I knew that as soon as my brain could focus again he was going to pay for this.

"Yes David. A million times yes. I'll marry you." I cried through my tears. David slipped the ring on my left finger, jumped to his feet, wrapped his arms around my waist and lifted me into the air while kissing me. "I love you." I cried over and over in between kisses.

"I love you too." He told me softly placing my feet back.

"I can't see my ring." I complained holding my hand in front of my face.

"Here you go." David reached into his pocket and pulled out a small flashlight. "I figured that you would want to see it."

I anxiously grabbed the flashlight out of his hands and examined my ring. It was gorgeous. We had never discussed engagement rings before and I couldn't help be amazed that he had found the perfect one for me. It was gold with a big square diamond in the middle accented with two smaller square diamonds. I loved it.

"Do you like it?" David whispered nervously.

"It's perfect. I love it."

"Really?" He was so cute when he was nervous. "Because if you don't like it we can exchange it. They told me that we can…" This time I was the one who stopped him from talking. I leaned forward and kissed him silent.

"I love it and I'm going to wear it forever." I promised him.

"Come on we need to celebrate." David said with an ornery glint in his eye. We linked hands and raced back to the car.

As soon as we got into the car I dug my phone out of my purse and called my mom. I couldn't wait a second longer to tell her my or our news. My parent's phone didn't ring one full time before it was answered but the normal "Hello" was not what I got.

"Give me the damn phone Angel." Mom said.

"She's my daughter. I want to talk to her." Dad said.

"She's calling me. Not you."

"You don't know that." Dad snapped. "She could be calling me."

"Give me the damn phone." Mom shouted and I had to pull the phone away from my ear. When I brought the phone back to my ear they were still arguing.

"Hello." I said but they ignored me. "I'm going to hang up if you two don't stop it." That finally shut them up. "I want to talk to both of you so why don't one of you go and get the other extension."

"Angel go get the other extension." Mom demanded.

"I already have this one. You go get the other extension. Cordy don't you dare start glowing. You know you can't use your demon powers for selfish reasons." I couldn't help myself. I started giggling.

"Catherine don't you dare say a word until I pick up the extension." Mom had given up.

"You are so bad." I told dad.

"It's so much fun though." He said with a laugh.

"You do realize that you are in so much trouble."

"Oh it's worth it."

"We'll see about that." Mom chimed in.

"Don't kill him yet mom. I have something to tell you."

"Yes?" She said. I knew they knew because they never fought over who is going to talk to me when I called.

"David and I got engaged tonight."

"Congrats sweetheart." Dad said in a choked voice.

"Thank you daddy."

"How was it baby?" Mom asked.

"I have dreamed up a thousand proposal scenarios and never once did tonight's ever come into my dreams but tonight's proposal was more perfect than I ever dreamed of. I am so happy." I reached across the car and took David's hand. "We are both so happy."

"I want details Catherine." Mom demanded.

"Tomorrow mommy. I promise."

"Catherine I want you to plan whatever kind of wedding that you want. Money is no object. I want you're wedding to be everything you have ever dreamed of." Dad told me softly.

"Daddy…I…thank you." I felt tears fill my eyes.

"Don't thank me sweetheart. You deserve it."

"I love you both so much." I told them tearfully.

"We love you too Catherine. Enjoy your night." Mom said.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow. We have a wedding to plan." After I hung up my phone I turned to my fiancé. "They knew about tonight didn't they?" I asked him.

"Yeah they knew. I had to get their blessing before I asked you to marry me."

"You asked their blessing?" David nodded. "That is so sweet."

"I had to do it right."

"Oh my God. What did my dad do?"

"He was actually pretty cool aside from the fact that he showed me his vampire side."

"WHAT? He vamped out on you? Why? Did he hurt you?"

"No Cat. He didn't hurt me. He was just reminding me of what would happen if I would hurt you which I will never do."

"I never thought you would."

"It was weird seeing your dad like that. His eyes all yellow and his forehead all smushed up together; it looks painful and his teeth. They look sharp as hell."

"Trust me they are and don't worry you'll never have first hand knowledge of those teeth. I will never let him hurt you."

"I'll never hurt you so I'm not worried about seeing that side of your dad again."

"And even though I don't have some psycho insane vampire threatening me I want you to know that I will never hurt you either."

"I know that Cat."

"I love you David; so much."

"And I love you my sweet Catherine."

That night David and I celebrated our engagement with champagne and amazing love making. I had never felt so happy and content before lying in his arms listening to his heartbeat. I never thought that I would ever be this happy and know that it has happened I still couldn't believe that all of my dreams have finally come true.

_**Thanks for reading. Reviews are encouraged and appreciated.**_


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